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Chapter Text

Chapter One: The Summons

"In the darkness of her chambers, the Queen looked within the pages of the legacy tome and found her names. They are the ones lucky enough to be chosen for a fairytale legacy. But in Ever After there is no illusion of choice. It is happily ever after...or death." 

The Kingdom of Roses was a dark and unfriendly place. The sky, shrouded in a near constant cover of gray haze, was eternally dark, while the landscape boasted remnants of scorched dogwood trees, the rest swallowed in dense thickets of thorny bramble bushes. Hugging herself as she stared out the window, taking in the early morning through busted glass panes, Briar could feel deep scratch scars dancing up and down her arms. Thorns were dangerous, the spikes mimicking vicious animal claws, teaching painful lessons to those young enough (and stupid enough) to challenge them. They certainly didn’t discriminate. 

It was these very bushes that gave sixteen-year-old Briar her name. She used to be called Rose when she was very young, but it felt wrong to carry her late mother’s name. So she was just Briar, and that felt right. It was right to honor the bramble scars which mapped her sun kissed skin in dizzying patterns.

Despite the hazy quiet of the morning, however, something uncomfortable writhed in the pit of Briar’s empty stomach. Every girl in the kingdom between the ages of fourteen and sixteen was no doubt having the exact same feelings, though in which order, Briar couldn’t say. Hope. Fear. Dread. Nausea. Anxiety. Grief? These emotions were normal on the Summoning–Briar was not surprised by them–but the need to throw-up was unwelcome, nonetheless. 

“Briar?” 

A little voice, meek and sleepy, shook the girl from her wandering thoughts. She turned, taking in the single room of their stone cottage. It was hardly big enough for nine people to live comfortably, the still sleeping forms of her eight brothers lining the walls. A singular dirty face peeking from inside a burlap blanket made Briar smile.

“Tenacity?” The boy sat up a little more at being addressed, using a dirty hand to rub at his equally dirty eyes. It hadn’t rained all summer, meaning no baths unless they managed to fight through the brambles around their small clearing to reach the river. The older ones were simply too big to squeeze through without injury. Soon, with the way the youngest's were growing despite a lack of food, no one would be able to. “Go back to sleep, it’s still early.” 

On a normal day, Tenacity would simply take her word and roll over. Situation aside, he was still nearly a teenager himself. It struck Briar that he would be turning thirteen in a few weeks; she didn’t even have a gift prepared. Tenacity must’ve sensed her trepidation, vicious red eyes narrowing as he frowned. “Is it today?” 

Briar couldn’t lie to him, Tenacity was too clever, so she nodded silently, wringing her own dirtied hands. Rough grains of silt scraped against her calloused palms, causing her to grimace at the resting ache in her knuckles. It was hard work, cutting and hacking through the briar patches to find food. Briar didn’t have a mirror to look at herself, but she no doubt looked as poorly as her siblings. Tenacity clambered out of his sack, his shirt too small and riding up, revealing his swelling, starved abdomen. Briar winced in guilt. She hadn’t managed to kill anything substantial in months, what with their thicket growing denser and wilder by the day. It didn’t help that her random sleep comas didn’t care where or when she would collapse (falling right into a pile of thorns while hunting was never pleasant). Going further into the dense forest was her only chance of finding something to kill, a journey that was practically a death wish. Worry for the future reared its head. 

Their father was most certainly dead by now. 

He’d left on a long journey to slay a beast and never returned. Briar had been caring for her brothers for months now, barely able to keep up with how much they were growing. She had exactly one chance now to give the boys a better life, or they would certainly starve before the next frost. The Summoning was a blessing…just as it was a curse. But Briar also knew it was her only chance to properly provide for eight young boys. Glancing down as Tenacity took her wrists, holding them lightly in his bruised fingertips, he smiled at her. It didn’t reach his eyes nor crinkle his face, but she appreciated the gesture and kissed his dusty forehead. 

“It’ll all be fine,” she said, though the lie tasted bitter. “You’ll see.” 

“Do you think you’ll get chosen?” 

Briar sighed. She still wanted to lie; she wanted to tell Tenacity that it was unlikely that she would be summoned out of all the prettier, smarter, stronger girls in the kingdom. For some places (for the lucky ones, at least), the purely random choice wasn’t nearly as daunting. She heard that other kingdoms actually celebrated the Summoning, rather than dreaded it. But for the Kingdom of Roses, it wasn’t common for a summons to be sent to just anyone. It could still happen, of course, but only if there were no other options. 

“You know the Summons are familial,” Briar told her brother, giving his bony hands a squeeze. “It will be me.” 

“Father could stop this,” Tenacity scowled, wrinkling his nose into an expression of distaste. “What if you’re gone when he gets back?” 

Briar’s heart ached in pain. Tenacity was twelve and quick as a whip, but he just couldn’t grasp that their father was probably dead. Briar wasn’t ready to rip his heart out like that, though she was realizing now she may not have much of a choice. “He won’t miss me that much,” she muttered, stealing her emotions as best she could. “Come sit with me.” 

Pulling Tenacity to the window seat, her makeshift bed was still warm. Setting the boy on a threadbare cushion, Briar pulled her only blanket around him, placing both hands on his shoulders. “Today is the Summoning, Tenci. Do you know what that means?” 

“Yeah. A girl from the kingdom gets chosen to continue the fairytale.” 

“Which fairytale?” 

“Sleeping Beauty.” 

Briar inhaled and exhaled shakily, swallowing the lump forming in her throat. “Tell me about the story. What’s it about?” 

“Uh, a pretty girl gets cursed by a wicked dark fairy by touching the spindle of a spinning wheel and falls asleep.” 

“How long does she sleep for?” 

Tenacity paused, thinking about the question. Briar continued to hold him, trying hard to keep her hands from shaking. His red eyes brightened as the answer came to him, only to darken again as he stared very intently at her. His chest shuddered with the beginnings of a sob. 

“One-hundred years.” Briar grunted as the boy lunged forward, slamming into her waist as he began to cry. “W-we’ll never see you again if you go. Briar, you can’t go.” 

Briar tilted her chin towards the ceiling, her own eyes burning with the sting of tears. She promised herself she wasn’t going to cry. She had to stay strong for this. 

“Tenacity, you have to promise me something,” she croaked, running a hand through his mop of unruly hair. “Make me this promise, ok?” Feeling the boy nod against her, Briar sniffled herself, struggling to keep the water out of her eyes. “Whatever happens today, you have to promise me to take care of your brothers. Loyalty, Courage, Gallantry, Trust, Dauntless, Valiant, and Honor are all depending on you now. As the big brother, you must protect them. Do you understand?” 

“I don’t want you to go!” 

“Tenacity.” Briar peeled the boy off her, settling him with the most serious stare she could manage. “Your brothers will die without you. You have to be brave, my little prickle bush. Brave and daring and courageous, just like Papa. Promise me you’ll take care of them.” 

Tenacity, with a snotty nose and watery eyes, managed a shallow nod. “I-I promise, Briar.” 

“Swear on it.” Holding out her pinkie finger, Tenacity locked his own around it, solidifying the promise. Sitting back with a weak sigh, Briar wiped at her cheeks, turning as noise began coming from the other lumps on the floor. “Looks like the cavalry is waking up,” she chuckled, glancing at her little brother who had from teary to downright depressed in a matter of seconds. Briar ruffled his hair again, rising from the window seat and offering her hand. “Come on. You can help me with breakfast.” 

Briar didn’t know what to expect when the summons arrived. She had heard many different rumors and stories of how it would go, ranging from a great stork descending from the sky with a letter in its beak, to the envelope just appearing by magic on the table. Seeing as their lonely cottage, built of mortar, gray stone, and a thatched straw roof was completely surrounded by thick bramble forest, they had never had a single visitor come to their door. 

It was impossible to reach them. 

This meant that in the middle of breakfast, where eight hungry boys were tearing apart the last pieces of dried and salted deer jerky from Briar’s stores, a knock at the door ground everything to a halt. Eight pairs of eyes blinked, going wide with fear. Even Honor, only six years old, stopped chewing, staring intently down the table. Briar stood as the knock came again, this time a bit louder and more forceful. She swallowed hard, glad nothing was in her stomach as she was sure she’d throw-it up. Brushing out her badly stained frock and pushing her hair back behind her ears, she took the doorknob and peeked out. 

A tall figure in beautiful silver armor was waiting for her there. The sun catching on the metal nearly blinded her as she squinted, raising a hand to try and shield her eyes. “C-can I help you?” 

“Are you Rose Beauty?” 

“I am.” Briar frowned at the use of her real name, opening the door a bit wider. The knight had somehow carved a path through the brambles; a feat no one else had ever managed to do. She realized at that moment it must’ve been the legendary Ever After magic. She’d only ever heard about how powerful it was in stories.  

“I am here by order of Queen Snow White to deliver you to Ever After, to heed the magical summons of Sleeping Beauty, as decided by the Storybook of Legends.” 

“Oh,” Briar couldn’t keep the disappointment out of her voice. She had hoped someone else would be chosen for once. Unfortunately, her luck just wasn’t that good. “Of course. Would you like to come in?” 

The knight looked a bit awkward at first, shuffling on their metal feet. But as Briar opened the door and waved inside, he entered without complaint. Ducking under the threshold, eight boys stared up at the stranger in awe, their breakfasts forgotten. 

“My brothers,” Briar introduced, pointing to each boy as she said their names. “Tenacity, Loyalty, Courage, Gallantry, Trust, Dauntless, Valiant, and Honor.” 

“Greetings, children,” the Knight said, giving an awkward little bow. He then turned, a hand resting on the sword Briar only just noticed. “Miss Beauty, we must be on our way. Ever After doesn’t wait.” 

“I know.” 

“Do you have anything you’d like to bring with you?” 

“No, thank you.” 

“No?” The Knight seemed surprised, tilting his helmet in a way that almost seemed puzzled. “You haven’t any personal effects or clothing you’d like to take with you?” 

“Afraid not,” Briar said, slowly pulling on her deerskin boots. “We don’t have much in the way of possessions.” 

“I see. And…your request, if you have one?” 

“My request,” Briar mused, slumping heavily. Queen Snow White was supposedly the most gracious in the land, granting each child summoned to become a legacy a single request as a sort of ‘prize’. It barely made up for being taken away from her home to sleep for one-hundred-years, but she had no intentions of squandering it either. “I want my brothers to be taken care of. They deserve better than to starve out here in the brambles.” 

“I will see what can be done,” the Knight said, stepping back as Honor ran to Briar’s side, clinging to her leg. 

“Don’t go, Briar!” he wailed, fat tears streaming down his face. Briar had to hold in her own emotions again, hardly able to breathe as she scooped the child into her arms. The knowledge settled on her that she wouldn’t get to see any of her brothers become young men. She wouldn’t get to see them grow up, meaning Honor would always be six in her memory. Turning, the other seven stood around her in a semi-circle in various stages of grief. Most were crying, while Tenacity stood resolute, doing his best to stay strong. 

“It’ll be ok, I promise.” 

“Do you have to go?” Loyalty croaked, grabbing onto the hem of her ratty leggings. “Can’t you stay?” 

“Refusing a summons would be treason,” the knight said flatly, glancing down as Gallantry began banging on the kneecap of his armor. 

“You’re horrible! I hate you! How dare you take our sister away!” 

“Gallant!” Grabbing the boy by the scruff, Briar dragged him back to the rest of the group, wagging a finger at them. “He’s just doing his job. Now pay attention, all of you. This is important. You’ll be listening to Tenacity now, ok?” 

The consensus wasn’t a happy one, but Tenacity took Honor from Briar’s hands, who promptly began to scream his lungs out. Briar’s chest felt like it was breaking as she struggled to keep air in her lungs, biting her lip to keep it from wobbling. This would be her last memory of her family. Crying…grieving over her. Never knowing what became of them. 

“Miss Beauty, we need to leave now,” the Knight said, motioning to the door. 

“Y-yeah, I’m ready.”

Following the brute out, the air was crisp against her bare skin. Her boots sunk in the still wet grass as she followed her chaperone to a rolling wooden wagon. It wasn’t very elegant looking, just four walls and some wheels, the small windows blocked by thick iron bars. Inside didn’t look much better, the floor covered in piles of straw. Stopping at the door, Briar glanced over her shoulder. the boys stood watching her, silently weeping amongst themselves. A heavy hand landed on her shoulder. 

“I promise they will not be left to die,” the Knight said. “Your request will be my personal duty.” 

“T-thank you.” 

The Knight offered his hand as Briar stepped up into the wagon, the interior smelling faintly of animal as the door was shut and heavily bolted behind her. Sitting down on one of the hay piles, she spotted a pair of iron shackles on the floor, open and abandoned. She wondered how many legacy children fought the summons…how many knew they were practically being sentenced to death. Briar knew her legacy wasn’t the worst to exist; in technicality, she was destined to be a princess. But others were not royalty. Some were villains, others were the heirs to horrible tragedy. Even some royals had not so happy aspects to their stories. 

Briar closed her eyes as the wagon jerked, beginning to roll forward. On the wind, her brother's desperate screams echoed to her ears. And only here, alone in the musky dark of a wagon, did Briar finally allow herself to weep. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: The White Knight 

"Upon a white horse rode a knight of blue silver, noble and tall, truly destined for greatness. And yet the wizened ones in buckle shoes and brass just shook their heads. 'She'll learn,' they said amongst themselves as they drank to numb the pain of war and the burden of generations. 'She'll learn."

Darling Charming, always knew what her destiny was meant to be. 

Under Queen Snow White’s arm, draped warmly in her heavy velvet cape (one that smelled faintly of apples and cinnamon), seven-year-old Darling had looked upon her story in the Tome of Legacies for the first time. It was she who was meant to kiss the future heir’s lips, shattering the powerful sleeping curse of the Evil Queen. It was she who would one day become Royal Consort of Ever After. Her destiny was decided for her; she was a valiant knight with an honorable legacy to uphold. Her father was nothing if not proud of his little girl, holding her above his other two sons whose futures didn’t seem quite so bright. But before Darling could reach that wonderful life, she first had to serve her Queen and Kingdom. 

On Summoning Day, White Knights had been sent far and wide, scouring the land for those who would make up the new generation of legacies. Darling had heard horror stories from her mentors about how they had to drag children kicking and screaming from their homes, killing those who tried hiding them away. Harboring a legacy child was treason in the eyes of the crown. Darling wondered if she had the heart to spill blood for her mission. 

Thankfully, that wasn’t even necessary. 

The Kingdom of Roses was at the furthest edge of Ever After, bordering the outerlands that made up the enchanted wastes. The ancient texts claimed it had once been beautiful, lush and green with skies that rivaled sapphires. But some decades ago, it was scorched to dust by a horrible black magic. The curse, brought down upon the kingdom by a jealous evil faerie, spread quickly and mercilessly, killing anything and everything it touched. Now, the Kingdom of Roses was desolate, harsh, and drowning in nothing but thorny briar patches for miles. Darling had hacked away at the brambles for hours, slicing and breaking them to pieces to clear a path towards the heart of the loneliest place in Ever After. She was rewarded with the derelict husk of a stone cottage, rather than any sort of castle or palace. It was strange, seeing as the legacy of Sleeping Beauty was a royal one. But there were no other dwellings for miles in any direction, meaning this had to be the place. 

Darling was expecting more of a fight. After hearing the stories of her comrades in arms, she was ready to do whatever it took to get the Heir of Roses back to Ever After with her. But the girl who answered the door hardly looked the part of the Princess she was meant to be. The only daughter of Sleeping Beauty was scrawny, her dusky skin badly marred by the thorns of her home. Tired carnelian eyes held trepidation in them, but not surprise. Her arrival was no doubt expected. Despite all of Darling’s training to become a knight (she was supposed to be stoic), it was hard to watch eight desperate little boys clinging to their sister, begging her not to leave. All starved. All dirty. The request for them to be taken care of was a selfless one. Too long in the brambles without a proper chaperone and the children would be dead by the next frost. 

The girl came willingly, like she knew what her fate would be. Besides a small bit of crying from inside the wagon, she kicked up very little fuss. It just felt too easy. Leaving the Kingdom of Roses behind, it took hours before they were once again warmed by the summer sun. At the edge of a crystalline river, Darling pulled the wagon to a stop, releasing her horse to graze and drink. Removing a shiny red apple from inside her saddlebag, she opened the wagon door, assaulted at once by the clueless stare of her new charge. 

“Are you in need of a break, your majesty?” 

“Are we there already?” 

“No, but I must water my horse, or he won’t be able to finish the journey. Come, stretching your legs will do you some good.” Offering the girl a hand, Darling assisted her down into the grass. In proper sunlight, it was even more obvious how poorly she looked, mottled with dirt and grime from a lifetime spent in the bramble woods. “You can clean yourself in the river.” 

“You’re letting me out?” 

“Only for a short time, your majesty. We mustn’t linger too long; your destiny awaits.” 

“Briar.” 

Darling felt the need to tilt her head, only to awkwardly bang it on the inside of her helmet. Stupid armor. “Pardon?” 

“My name. It’s Briar; just Briar.” 

“Is your name not Rose?” For a brief moment, Darling feared she’d been duped. But Briar just nodded, awkwardly intertwining her knobby fingers. 

“It is. But Rose was my mother's name, and it feels wrong to take that from her, even if she’s not around anymore.” 

“I see. My apologies, then, Briar.” 

“Do you have a name?” The girl wondered, unusual pink-red eyes narrowing. They certainly didn’t seem like the eyes of a future Princess; more like those of a keen hunter. Darling cleared her throat awkwardly. 

“I am merely a White Knight, milady, nothing more.” 

“But there’s flesh and blood in that armor, right?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then you must have a name.” Briar folded her arms as they began the short walk down to the riverbank. “I won’t tell anyone if it’s supposed to be a secret.” 

Darling hesitated. As a White Knight, she was meant to be one of many. They were a faceless bunch, all the better to use in battle against evil forces. But she was sweating horribly inside her armor shell and craving a drink from the gurgling brook. They were alone on the winding country road; a few moments in her own skin couldn’t hurt. “Very well. But you mustn't tell a single soul about what you see.” 

Briar smiled, making an ‘X’ motion over her chest. “Cross my heart.” 

Taking a few wide steps back, Darling allowed her armor to disengage, gasping in relief as her body was finally exposed to the crisp summer breeze. Stepping down from the stilts which made up her height and ruffling her white and blue braid, Briar blinked at her. Again though, her expression wasn’t quite surprised enough to be true. She couldn’t have possibly known already, could she? “My name is Darling, your majesty. Darling Charming.” 

“So you are a girl,” Briar said, quickly pulling back her hand as Darling reached to kiss her knuckles. “You don’t want to be kissing that.”  

“Ah, of course.” Darling awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck, grimacing at how wet it was. She hated being sweaty. “How did you know I was a girl?” 

“Something about your demeanor gave it away,” Briar mumbled, carefully removing her boots and setting them on the shore. She stepped into the cold water, watching it run around her ankles. “You’re too gentle to be a man.” 

“Some men are gentle,” Darling pointed out, leaning over to cup some water for a drink. Briar sighed heavily, staring at her warped reflection on the river surface. 

“Not the few I’ve met.” 

Briar didn’t elaborate as she knelt down in the water, allowing it to flow around her waist and hips. She violently scrubbed herself, seemingly lost in thought as she did. Darling waited nearby, just to make sure. But she doubted Briar would run. The apple still in her hand, the knight frowned at it. 

“Hey, Briar,” Turning at her name, Briar caught the fruit as it was tossed to her, eyes widening as she turned the food in her hands. “You look hungry.” 

“What…is this?” 

“It’s food. You’ll like it,” giving the girl a dazzling smile, Darling nodded back towards the wagon. “We should get going, we’re losing daylight.” 

“Well, it was nice while it lasted,” Briar mumbled, pocketing the apple and wringing out her water dark hair. “How much longer to…uh…wherever it is we’re going?” 

“A little while yet,” Darling admitted, offering her charge a hand. The sun kissed skin was much warmer under its cakey layer of dust, though the menagerie of scars was still plainly visible. Giving a little bow, she did kiss Briar’s knuckles this time, as was traditional of any Ever After royal. “Come, milady. Your carriage awaits.” 

Darling was embarrassed that they were the last to arrive. It was crawling closer to sunset every minute, the legendary Ever After Castle silhouetted in the encroaching dusk. Many of the rooms were already illuminated in bright gold, other knights' legacies having been escorted inside. Opening the back of the wagon and offering Briar a hand, she was slow to descend, shivering in the chilly temperature of the evening. It was always hot in the Kingdom of Roses, the ground steaming and puffing up a near constant haze of sulfur.

“Welcome to Ever After, your majesty,” she said, waving to the palace. It stood mighty, surrounded by walls marched by guards in white uniforms. The white marble shined like glass, ready to reflect the night's stars. It was quite beautiful at night. 

“It’s so cold here.” 

“You’ll get used to it. Come, the Queen is no doubt waiting for us.” 

Briar sighed but nodded, hugging herself to keep warm as they crossed the long, open courtyard. There was no hiding from sight out here. Reaching the grand staircase leading to the front doors of the school, a lithe figure was waiting patiently. Queen Snow White was ghostly in the dying embers of a summer day, her pinched face severe and displeased. Before her on a podium waited the Storybook of Legends, opened to a page, a quill and ink beside it. Briar had come to this place willingly with her, but would she sign ? 

“You’re late, Knight.” 

“Sincerest apologies, your highness,” Darling insisted, giving a polite bow. “The brambles around the Kingdom of Roses are treacherous.” 

“Yes, I suppose they are,” the Queen’s tense shoulders dropped slightly. “Yet you still stand before me in one piece, and not a scuff to be seen. Well done, Shining Star.” 

“Thank you, your majesty.”

“Now, introduce me to your legacy,” Queen Snow White leaned over her podium, staring down intently at Briar, who met her eyes fearlessly. “Who is this?” 

“Briar…” Darling instantly hit herself, fumbling to fix her mistake. “Rose Beauty, milady.” 

The Queen’s perfectly sculpted brow arched dangerously high. “Briar Rose, you say?” 

“I….um…” 

“My chosen name, your majesty,” Briar spoke up, causing the Queen to whip back to her. 

“Speaking without permission? Have you no manners, girl?” 

“Seeing as you’re talking about me , I think I have every right to interject,” the girl snipped, tilting her nose defiantly. “Briar is my chosen name.” 

“And what’s wrong with the one you were born with, hmm? Briar is not a suitable title for a future Princess of the realm.” 

“Rose belongs to my mother, who is dead . I will not have her name.” 

“Presumptuous little bunny, aren’t you?” Queen Snow White’s red lips twitched, her hands tightening around the edges of her podium. “I would think an heir of Sleeping Beauty would know when to hold her tongue.” 

“I’m heir to nothing but brambles and thorns, your majesty. There is nothing royal about me.” 

“We shall see about that.” Snow White’s lips curled dangerously as she relaxed into her stance, waving a hand to the school. “This place has a way of molding shapeless young ladies like yourself into perfect princesses. This, I can assure you. Knight, the request.” 

“To take care of her brothers, your majesty. They are likely to starve out in the bramble woods without a chaperone.” 

“ Ah , you have little ones on your mind? How perfectly quaint of you, my dear.” Darling fell to one knee as the Queen rounded her podium, revealing a pristine white gown with gilded edges. Briar did not bow, curtsy, or even twitch in the presence of their monarch. Her scarred knuckles curled into tight fists as Snow White gently took her cheek, running long plastic nails down the ragged skin. “Do well, child, and your brothers will be princes of the land. They’ll be so well cared for that they won’t know what to do with themselves. Fail me, and they will all be killed , with you alongside them. Do I make myself clear?” 

Briar’s eyes widened, her mouth opening but not finding any words. Darling frowned inside her armor. Queen Snow White wouldn’t kill children, would she? 

“That seems to have gagged your attitude a bit, hasn’t it?” The Queen smiled, something sickly sweet as she wrapped an arm around Briar’s back, giving her a little push towards the podium. “Do you know of the Tome of Legacies, my dear?” 

“Yes.” 

“Yes…what?” 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“Hmm, very good. I may make an example of you yet. This book is as ancient as our world. It is the magic within its pages that keeps our stories alive for generations to come. Without it, our very way of life would collapse. Look into the book and see your legacy, child.” Briar hesitated but stepped up onto the platform anyway. She stared at the open section for a long time, the Queen laying a soft hand on its worn edges. “This page has chosen you, Rose Beauty, for its champion. The time has come for you to fulfill your destiny as the next Sleeping Beauty. Sign the book, and the legacy is yours.” 

“And…my brothers?” 

“A Queen always keeps her word, my sweet. Sign the book, follow your legacy to a ‘T’, and your little ones will live like royalty. That’s what you want, isn’t it?” 

Darling glanced up, feeling Briar’s eyes on her. For once they weren’t sad or suspicious. Where she’d seen a hunter earlier, now there was just a girl. A terrified girl who wasn’t being given a choice in her future. Darling closed her fist, digging it deeper into the marble until it began to fissure. She hadn’t ever thought so much about the legacies as she had today. Her own was grand and fantastical, she wanted it more than anything. She was meant to love Apple White and rule by her side. Yet something didn’t sit right as Briar picked up the quill, hesitantly holding it above the book. 

Was dictating the outcome of a child’s future…right? 

The ink flowed easily as Briar signed her name, wobbly and unpracticed. The ink flashed brightly before seeping permanently into the page, unchangeable and forever after. But, oddly, nothing else happened. Darling had heard rumors of magical things occurring once the book was signed by a legacy. For Snow White herself, a flock of doves exploded from the pages. Yet as Briar stepped back from the book, frowning, nothing happened. Queen Snow White furrowed her brows (an almost unnoticeable action), but quickly shook herself off, slamming the book shut. 

“There. That wasn’t so hard, now was it? Your destiny is sealed, Princess . Knight, escort your legacy to her room, don’t forget about the rules here at Ever After! You’re sure to have a magical time here with us, my dear. And don’t worry your pretty little head about your brothers,” the Queen’s lip twitched again. “I’ll be sure they are given the best care possible.” 

Briar said nothing, merely gave a crooked little bow as the Queen scooped up the Storybook of Legends, surrounded by dwarves as she descended down into the courtyard and vanished from sight. Darling stood the moment she was gone. 

“Are you alright, milady?” 

“I don’t trust that woman,” Briar said, her eyes once again a dangerous shade of red. “You made me a promise, Darling…” 

“I intend to keep it, your majesty. I will make sure your brothers are safe. I trust the Queen.” 

“That makes one of us,” Briar scoffed, feeling her fingertips. 

“Something wrong?” 

“I dunno. Just feels like something else was supposed to happen.” 

“Perhaps your legacy comes with weak magic?” Darling suggested, waving towards the front doors. “A worry for another day, perhaps. Please, follow me to your new dorm. You must be exhausted.” 

“Darling.” Briar grabbed onto her armored forearm, keeping it where it was as she clutched the metal. “I mean it. If anything happens to my brothers, I will leave this legacy and everything it entails to find them and keep them safe. Do you understand?” 

I won’t hesitate to throw you to the wolves if something happens to my family. 

Briar was smart enough to know that they were connected now. If she refused her legacy and rebelled, it would fall back on Darling herself. The Queen would have her head if it was her assigned legacy who ruined everything. Darling swallowed nervously, wincing as heavy metal locks were pulled away from Ever After’s doors to open them. 

“I promise, Briar.” 

Briar, oddly, held up her pinkie finger. “Swear it?” 

It felt like a childish way to instate a promise, but Briar’s eyes were dead serious. She wasn’t joking. Cautiously, Darling wrapped her armored finger around her companions. 

“ I swear it. ” 

Hopefully this wouldn’t come back to bite her. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Scarred Hearts 

"Soot is fine and difficult to clean. It billows and clouds with the breeze, tarnishing everything it touches. Yet her heart still shines the brightest, even when forever blanketed in cinders."

Briar had a bad feeling about this place. Or rather, she had a bad feeling about the Queen . 

She’d heard stories of course about how Snow White was the fairest of them all. Gentle, loving, a mother and wife as well as a fair monarch. She was nearly as legendary as the fairytale which bred her. But to Briar, who’d spent way too much time wandering the wastes, she knew all too well what danger looked like. 

Queen Snow White was not an animal to be trifled with. 

When Briar was still a little girl, mother spoke about the fabled Ever After school. She recounted how grand it was, sculpting the landscape to its whim. The inside of the palace was just as fantastic as the facade, crafted in marble with natural wooden walls of curling oak and stained glass. It was already dark, moonlight cascading to the floor in glorious white blades. Had she been alone— had the situation been different —it would’ve been easier to appreciate. But the sounds made it nearly impossible. 

As Darling walked her towards where the other legacy children were kept, Briar’s skin prickled at the cacophony of noise which reached her ears. Every door they passed was tangled in iron-like vines, keeping the inhabitants locked away as fists pounded from inside, desperate to break them down. Screams and wails of fear echoed from floor to ceiling; proof that some legacies were not happy after all. That some had no choice but to die at the hands of fate. 

“These rooms are not yours,” Darling said, perhaps noticing her growing discomfort. “These are the ones belonging to children with villainous legacies.” 

“They’re locked in?” 

“Yes. You’re perfectly safe.” 

Safety wasn’t really Briar’s concern, but she didn’t have the heart to wonder what was going on inside the locked rooms. Instead, they continued on, passing through a shimmering curtain of strange, nearly invisible magic. It felt weird on her skin, cold, yet prickly like pins and needles. Briar felt the familiar yawning sensation behind her eyes at the mere thought, but quickly squashed it down. Now wasn’t the time to pass out. “The magic barrier keeps the evil-touched out,” Darling explained. “This will be your new home.” 

Shaking out of her thoughts, this section of the school was much different than the one they just left. The doors were not barred, a few of them left open as figures lingered in a plush sitting area. They chatted softly and drank tea from fine porcelain, either unaware or uncaring of what was just beyond the curtain. It was a short, soft, pale girl with long golden hair and ruby red lips that noticed them first. Her blue eyes illuminated, high shoes clicking across the floor as she approached. 

“My shining star!” The stranger chirped. “I was wondering where you ran off to! I haven’t seen you all day, it’s been torture .” 

“Apple, my love,” Darling answered, scooping up the girl's hand and giving her a short bow at the waist. “I was on an errand. Please, allow me to introduce you to my legacy.” 

“Yes, I know,” the girl—Apple—turned to her. “You’re Sleeping Beauty’s daughter.” 

It wasn’t really a question, more a statement of fact. But Briar nodded hesitantly anyway, blinking as Apple grabbed hold of her palms, cradling them in hers. The pale skin was just as soft and supple as it looked, having never seen a single day of hardship. It was much different than Briar’s own calloused, scarred knuckles. “I’m Apple White. Welcome to the Royal Wing.” 

Ah, Snow White’s daughter. That heritage made sense. “Thank you.” 

Apple’s eyes scrunched pleasantly, but her focus shifted as she caressed one of Briar’s ratty walnut locks. Her lips flickered downwards. “It looks like you’ve gone through a lot to be here.” 

“Something like that.” 

Apple stared at her long and hard; Briar tried not to fidget under the scrutiny. What was she looking for ? 

“There’s a Princess in there somewhere,” the girl tittered after a long breath, using the back of her hand to gently lift Briar’s chin. “A bit of polishing is all you need.” 

“Uh…?” 

“It’s decided. I will help you; you’ll be my first project of the year.” 

“Project?” Briar tilted her head, nearly falling over as Apple looped an arm through hers and pulled her close. 

“Of course! We’ll be best friends forever after, I just know it.” 

“You are in good hands with Apple,” Darling noted, her armor clanking as she gave another bow. “I must return to my post at the gate. But shall you need me, I will be easy to find.” 

“You’re so dashing, White Knight,” Apple crooned. “Thank you for delivering your legacy. I will take it from here.” 

“It is my pleasure, and my honor. Good evening, your majesties.” 

Briar watched as Darling left the common area, vanishing back through the shimmering magic barrier. 

“Attractive, isn’t he?” Apple gently squeezed Briar’s upper arm, drawing back her focus. “It’s so easy to fall in love with knights.” 

“I’ve never met one before today. I wouldn’t know.” 

“You come from the Kingdom of Roses, don’t you?” 

“Yep.” 

“There’s…not much out there, or so I’ve heard.” Briar had no choice but to follow Apple through the common room, the girl still digging her long nails into her flesh like an animal trap. Briar wondered if the descendant of the Queen was just as brutal as her mother. 

“Just the bramble woods.” 

“I always wondered why Sleeping Beauty returned to such a desolate nightmare,” Apple mused, wrinkling her nose. “It’s no place for a Princess like you.” 

“I’m not really a Princess. The legacy chose me, not the other way around.” 

“You are royalty now, even if you don’t feel like it yet. Your name is Rose, isn’t it? That’s what Mother told me.” 

“Briar. Rose was my mother.” 

“ Briar . Well, it’s a bit unusual I suppose, but it suits you somehow.” Apple smiled again, the expression too practiced and pristine to be real. “Your roommate is Ashlynn. She’s having a bit of a hard night, so be gentle.” 

“Oh?” 

“All of our stories are set in stone,” Apple explained as they turned down an annex hall. It smelled faintly of vanilla; the plush carpet soft under their feet. “Though we are not cursed to be evil or tragic, not all legacies are easy at first. It hurts in the moment, but we all have our part to play. It’s best to just… not think about it too much.” 

Briar nodded silently. Apple had probably been drilled in her destiny since birth. “Here we are! This will be your room. Classes start at 8 o’ clock sharp, I’ll come pick you up and we can walk together! If you need anything, my room is back through the hall behind the big double doors. You can’t miss it.” 

Turning as Apple opened the door for her with a flourish, Briar cautiously stepped inside. It was dark, but still warm and cozy despite the indigo hues. Her royal companion lingered in the doorway for a moment longer before she smiled, gave a little wave, and gracefully returned back the way she’d come. Leaning out to watch her perfect curls vanish around the corner, Briar sighed shakily and closed the door again, careful not to slam it shut. Her roommate, Ashlynn, appeared to be asleep already. She was mostly covered up with thick cotton blankets, her long tendrils of strawberry blonde hair glowing pale in the encroaching moonlight. She looked so cozy…

“Stop it.” Briar whispered the words to herself as she wildly shook her head, the invasive tingle of magic burning the back of her eyelids. Glancing towards the empty bed, Briar was only a few feet away. She could make it. Taking a single step in the right direction, her body dropped like a rock. She landed shoulder first as magic took her under, shrouding everything in a faint, untouchable smoke. Briar had a hard time defining her condition; it wasn’t sleep—despite what her legacy claimed. She liked to call it the ‘enchanted death’, a name better suited, seeing as she looked the part of a corpse whenever she was unconscious.

“... hey? Are you alright?” 

Briar felt a gentle hand touch the underside of her neck, checking for a pulse. It quickly retracted upon not finding one, a gasp of alarm reaching her ears. Realizing she might’ve just scared the life out of her new roommate, Briar struggled to push back out of the magical haze, surging forward to grab a bony wrist. “S-stop!” 

Ashlynn was a pretty but haunted looking girl. Her skin looked way too pale, while her green eyes were massive and frightened. There was a dark blotch of something smeared across her nose, appearing to be dirt or soot as she stared down in shock, stopped in her tracks by Briar’s featherlight grip. “B-but you were just…?” 

“I’m not dead, I promise,” Releasing the girl, Briar winced and groaned under her breath. She hated her curse more than anything. Sleep was meant to be restful; Briar never felt like herself after waking from a bout of enchanted death. Ashlynn hesitated, still eyeing the door, but she eventually returned to sit.

“Are you really alright? I checked for a pulse and there wasn’t one.” 

“Sleeping curses do that to people,” Briar explained, rubbing small circles above her brows. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” 

“I…I’m just glad you’re not…well, I’m glad you’re awake now.” Ashlynn slumped, her tense shoulders softening into a hunched curve. “You must be my new roommate. I’m Ashlynn. Ashlynn Ella.”

“Briar.” Walking up onto her elbows, Briar tilted her head. “You have a bit of something…?” 

“Oh,” Ashlynn ducked awkwardly to one side, rubbing an arm across her face. “Thank you. I was cleaning the fireplace; cinders are a nasty thing, you know.” 

“You were cleaning the fireplace?” Briar blinked, peering over her shoulder at the small hearth which sat dormant in their suite. It was pristine, not a log out of place. 

“I…I clean, when I…well, never mind,” Ashlynn furiously shook her head, rising awkwardly to her feet, almost like she didn’t quite fit into them. “Here, let me help you.” 

Accepting the offer, Briar awkwardly wobbled back upright, firmly planting both of her boots in the carpet. Ashlynn still held her hands, staring down at them with big green eyes. “Something interesting?” 

“Your hands,” Ashlynn’s thumb ran over badly scarred, sun kissed knuckles, quickly flipping one hand over to examine the crusted palm. “They look just like mine.” Briar took back her hands as Ashlynn extended her’s, spreading out her bony fingers. Ashlynn’s hands were dry and dirty, remnants of soot ground into their deep ridges. She had deep cracks and scrapes splitting the place between her fingers, causing them to bleed. “I’ve never met someone with hands like mine before. Where did you come from?” 

“The Kingdom of Roses.” 

“ Really ?” Ashlynn brought Briar to the bed, urging her to sit at the edge of it. “I’ve only heard stories about that place. And based on your hands…it’s…um…?” 

“Not a place for future royalty, or so Apple claimed.” Briar chuckled. “What about you?” 

”I’m from Book End. My…um…my stepmother and stepsisters live in a chateau out at the edge of town.” 

“That…sounds familiar somehow,” Briar mused, rattling her brain for the answer, only to come up with nothing. Ashlynn was graciously unoffended.  

“I suppose it should. I am the legacy of Cinderella,” she whispered, as though it were some sort of secret. “One of the big three.” 

“Big three?” 

“The three most royal legacies in the Storybook of Legends? There’s Snow White, Cinderella, and…” 

“Sleeping Beauty,” Briar nodded. “Right. Guess we’re in the same boat, then.”

“You…you mean…?” Ashlynn blinked, frowned, and screwed up her face. “I should’ve known that. So, the…the dying thing? That’s normal for you?” 

Briar ran a hand through her hair, her finger’s catching in the rat’s nest of curls. “Unfortunately. It’s not something I can really help.” 

“I feel that way about cleaning. I guess there’s only so much you can do to avoid your destiny. What happened when you signed the book? Anything exciting?” 

“Not a thing, actually. You?” 

“I heard waltzing music and smelled pumpkin pie. I wonder why you didn’t get anything.” 

“Dar…I mean, my White Knight said that it could’ve just been weak magic. But it’s done, not much use in dwelling on it.” Briar boldly took hold of Ashlynn’s hands again, looking them over. Knowing now that she was the legacy of Cinderella, she had a suspicion that Ashlynn’s knees looked just as poorly as her hands. 

“They don’t hurt anymore, not really,” she said, perhaps catching onto Briar’s train of thought. “I have things in my life that hurt much more.” 

“Apple said you were having a hard night. I uh…hope I didn’t interrupt.” 

“N-no, no. I just…I guess I wasn’t ready, is all.” 

“Ready?” 

“My mother died when I was still a little girl. My father remarried, but he never forgot about me. About us. But…when the summons came, it’s like…it’s like he didn’t even recognize me anymore,” Ashlynn took a harsh breath, one that was filled with the resurgence of tears as she slapped a palm across her lips. “I-I know that’s how the story goes. B-but I don’t know why it had to be me. I can’t imagine going back home, only to be a…a…” Ashlynn couldn’t even say the word which sat on the end of her tongue. She began to weep, her entire, thin frame shaking with heartache. 

Briar, still holding one of the girls' hands, gave it a very light squeeze. “I had to leave my family behind, too.”

Green eyes shined despite the tears. “Really?” 

“Eight little brothers.” 

“And your parents? Will they miss you?” 

“No. They’re both gone. It was just me and the boys…and I had to leave them.” 

Ashlynn slumped, her shoulder blades distinct and poking out from under her thin nightgown. “I’m sorry, Briar. I-I know I’m being dramatic. I get to be a princess ; that’s all any girl could wish for. But I just…” 

“You don’t have to explain it to me, Ashlynn,” Briar told her, furrowing her brows as a blood droplet curled down the paler girl’s palm. “You shouldn’t let these bleed.” 

“I didn’t even notice,” the legacy of Cinderella sniffled, dragging her free arm across her face. “I don’t have much feeling in my hands anymore.” 

“Let me wrap these for you.” 

“Ok. But only if you let me brush your hair,” Ashlynn managed a smile as she touched one of Briar’s ratty tendrils, plucking a piece of hay from the strands. “It looks like you had a long trip.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Sleepless Nights

”Silence is always the loudest in the dark. That’s when the mind settles down and thoughts chased away by daylight creep back in from the shadows.” 

Ashlynn couldn’t sleep. 

Her mind was running wild, banging into the walls of her skull. Her tired, work ravaged bones ached deep under her skin, radiating up and down her body. The mattress was soft—softer than her cot in the small attic room back home—but it just wasn’t comfortable . 

Father’s eyes still haunted her in the dark. 

His beautiful green eyes, the same shade as her own. Eyes that once held love and pride only had something cold in them now. She was suddenly worth nothing to him compared to her stepsisters, something that seemed so impossible. But it was all true. He was magic-touched , or so her White Knight had claimed. When the Tome of Legacies chose her to be the next Cinderella, everything she knew went up in flames. She’d been grieving the loss of her father’s love for months, long before the summons ever came to the chateau’s door. Ashlynn didn’t know that it was her destiny to become a princess…some part of herself didn’t even want it. 

She just wanted her father back. She wanted her old life back. 

Rolling onto her side in frustration, Ashlynn winced at the taught pull of muscle across her shoulder blades. So much time spent with her head stuck in fireplaces did that. Too many chores, so much work, not enough light in the day, and not a single care from anyone that she was being worked into the ground. Running the rough flat of her thumb across the interior of her palm, Ashlynn explored the cotton bandages now woven between her fingers. Briar cared, even if they’d just met. She’d been quiet and focused on her work, making sure every cut was clean and wrapped. 

Ash didn’t really understand her new roommate yet. 

Briar was…hard to even describe. She looked disheveled, yet held herself fearlessly. Her eyes were dark and a vicious shade of red, but they were open like wide horizons. No secrets lingered there; not like Apple’s eyes which were clear but untrue . Briar was an enigma. But, despite not knowing her that well, Ashlynn rolled from bed. She held her hands as she shuffled across the room, standing a few feet from where her roommate was sleeping. Except, the moment she got too close, red irises were suddenly on her, just as awake and alert as they had been upon waking from the fainting spell. 

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Ashlynn whispered, even if that was her intention. She hadn’t really thought that far. 

“You’ve been tossing for hours,” Briar replied, sitting up on a bent elbow. She looked much better with her hair braided and out of her face, revealing very sharp features and badly notched ears. “What’s up?” 

“I…I just…I can’t sleep.” 

Briar slowly nodded her head in agreement. “Neither can I.” 

“Oh.” 

Staring at one another in silence, Ashlynn didn’t know what to do next. Ever since her father’s sudden shift in attitude towards her, she hadn’t been allowed out of the chateau. ‘ Too many chores for chit-chat, girl! ’, or so her stepmother liked to say. She hadn’t spoken to another girl her own age except her stepsisters, both of whom barely counted as people in her eyes. They were more like chickens, clucking around with no real purpose other than to be a nuisance. 

“I saw them drinking tea when I got here,” Briar spoke up, breaking into her thoughts. “Maybe we can find some?” 

“You don’t think there’s a curfew or anything, right?” 

“White Knight didn’t say anything about having to stay in our rooms,” Briar pointed out, kicking off her blankets. “Come on.” 

“It could be dangerous.” 

“We aren’t going far, just out into the common room.” 

“You’re braver than I am. This place gives me the creeps.” 

“That’s the understatement of the century,” Briar drawled, waving Ashlynn to follow her. Just as she reached for the door, she stopped. A shadow was bobbing around outside, darker than the night in the hall. Still as a statue, Briar held up a hand as there was a light knock knock knock on the wood. Ashlynn’s heart leapt. She didn’t even realize Briar was opening the door until it was far too late to stop her. 

Framed in the doorway was another legacy student. She looked suddenly awestruck as Briar stared down at her, narrowing her already sharp, sleep-bruised gaze. “S-sorry,” the stranger apologized at once, for no real reason besides satiating the taller girl’s irritation. 

“Who are you?” 

“I…um…my name is Farrah? Farrah Goodfae. I was looking for Ashlynn.” 

“At this time of night?” 

“…yep?” 

Briar arched a suspicious brow, a short huff escaping her nose. Ashlynn lightly batted her elbow, joining her roommate in the doorway. Farrah was a willowy, petite looking girl. Her skin wasn’t human, more pink than cream, with wide crystalline blue eyes and tendrils of hair shifting from icy to plum. From her back fluttered a pair of almost glass-like wings. 

“You’re a real fairy?” Ashlynn asked her. “I’ve never met one in real life before.” 

“No, not quite. I’m only half fae on my dad’s side,” Farrah admitted, looking sheepish. “B-but my mom is a Fairy Godmother. Which is why I’m here.” 

“Oh?” 

“I can feel your sadness from all the way down the hall. I wanted to come make sure you were alright.” 

“ My sadness?” Ashlynn’s heart thunked to the bottom of her gut. Could everyone feel emotions around here? How embarrassing. “W-what do you mean? Can everyone do that?” 

“Uh, no, just me. You’re Cinderella’s legacy, aren’t you?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then I will be…well…I guess I am your Fairy Godmother. It’s kinda my thing that I appear in times of most grief.” 

“Incredible.” Ashlynn couldn’t help her short bark of laughter. Briar huffed again, reinstating her presence leaning against the door. “Oh! Um, Farrah, my roommate Briar. And you already know me, I suppose.” 

“It’s nice to meet you both,” Farrah said, smiling sweetly, only for the expression to scrunch up. “What are you doing up?” 

“Couldn’t sleep,” Briar muttered, nodding down the hall. “We were on a mission for tea.” 

“Oh. Well, mind if I join you? I couldn’t really sleep either. Some company would be nice.” 

Briar glanced at Ashlynn, who merely shrugged in response. It wasn’t really in her nature to say ‘no’ to people. As a newly formed trio they meandered down the hall, careful not to make too much noise as they went. In the common room, the lights brightened at their entry. The great hearth coughed up soot as it set itself aflame, casting the room in a cozy, midnight glow. 

“Magic is a wonderful thing,” Farrah mused under her breath, twirling on her foot. “You needn't even lift a finger.” 

Ashlynn stared at the hearth a beat too long. The ashes were piled into mountains, and the ivory bricks were soot stained. She couldn’t even see the logs. So dirty . 

“Ashlynn.” 

Ashlynn held her hands together, trying to keep them from twitching with need. “Yeah?” 

“You looked a million miles away just now. Are you ok?” 

“Yes, fine. Just thinking about the fireplace.” 

“What about the fireplace?” Farrah wondered, a cup of tea already in her hands. “It’s magical so it stokes itself.” 

“I just wish it was clean, that’s all.” 

“Oh? I can handle that.” Farrah freed one of her hands, giving her finger a wave. In a second the ashes were gone from the soot basin and the black staining vanished, leaving the bricks white again. Ashlynn stared in wonder. It was perfect . 

“How did you do that?” 

“I’m a Fairy Godmother. Yours , specifically. It won’t stay clean for that long, my magic only lasts till midnight.” 

“So it’ll look that dirty again tomorrow?” 

“Unfortunately so.” 

Ashlynn tried to hide her disappointment. If the hearth was dirty in the morning, she’d feel that urge again. It wasn’t something she could control. She spent hours with her head in the fireplace of their dorm, not stopping until it was pristine. She’d do the same with this one, cleaning and working and bleeding over it until her body couldn’t go any longer. She just needed the hearth to be clean. It needed to be clean. It was important. 

“Woah, Ashlynn, don’t faint. That’s my thing.” 

Ashlynn accepted Briar’s hands as she was gently brought to the nearest chair, sitting down at the edge of the cushion. Her hands shook as a cup of tea was pushed against her palms, though she could barely feel the warmth of the porcelain against her skin. 

“Sorry. I got lost…” 

“Don’t apologize,” Briar insisted, flicking the cup with a nail. “Just focus on this.” 

Nodding, Ashlynn was careful not to let any tea shake from the cup as she held it, taking slow sips. Farrah perched on the armrest, while Briar stood in front of the fireplace, almost like she knew . Sitting in complete silence, it was easy to hear footsteps coming up the hall. A head of wild yellow curls popped around the corner, blue eyes wide and curious. She was tailed by a darker figure, their skin almost wooden in texture with equally brown braids. 

“I thought I heard voices out here,” the blonde whispered. “It’s so late.” 

“They probably couldn’t sleep either,” the darker girl complained. “Right?” 

Three heads nodded as two more joined them in the common room, choosing teacups and finding places to sit. Blondie was the one with the wild yellow curls; Ashlynn recognized her as the legacy who signed the book just before she did. Goldie was the next Goldilocks, or so she claimed. Cedar was her roommate, the legacy of Pinocchio, explaining her unusual wooden skin. No one really spoke, seeing as there wasn’t much to talk about. Ashlynn kept looking at the fireplace, only to get a firm stare from Briar who lingered in her view.  

“I hear tomorrow we’re meeting the villains of our stories,” Blondie said, as though it was sitting at the tip of her tongue. “I don’t like… bears .” 

“I’m no fan of cats or foxes,” Cedar pitched in, shaking her head as it rattled together. “Or whales. Yuck!” 

“I don’t really have a villian in my story,” Farrah mumbled, rubbing her chin with a hand. “I suppose pirates, but I think all fae are afraid of them. Do you suppose I’ll meet a pirate?” 

“Who knows what they have cooked up for us,” Blondie whispered, practically shaking with fear. “I hear it’s one of the most difficult tests they give.” 

“On the first day?” Farrah’s blue eyes widened. “That’s a bit silly, isn’t it?” 

“It’s to make us afraid of our villains,” Cedar pointed out. “Without them, our legacies can’t continue.” 

“What about you, Ashlynn?” 

“Me?” Ash pointed to herself. “I already know the villains of my story. I don’t want to see my stepsisters or stepmother again, but they aren’t…the worst, I guess.” 

“I think Briar has it the worst out of all of us,” Blondie said, wincing as Cedar reached out and whacked her head. “Ouch, what?” 

“I cannot tell a lie, but that’s rude to point out.” 

“She’s right though,” Briar spoke up; the first time in nearly an hour. 

“I didn’t mean any offense by it,” Blondie continued, rubbing her skull with a hand. “It’s just…the dark fairy is one of the worst of them all. Right up there with the Evil Queen.” 

“It was dark fairy magic that killed my mother,” Briar agreed. “It cursed her for one-hundred-years to eternal sleep. But even after, when she was supposed to live happily ever after, it was just too much for her body to take. So yes, she was truly evil.” 

The silence was deafening. Ashlynn swallowed hard, thinking about the fate of her own father before her story was meant to begin. She’d lose him, just like Briar lost her mom. 

Cedar broached the question they were all thinking. “What happened to her?” 

Briar was silent for a beat, leaning against the mantle as the flames haloed her in golden light. “She turned her back on happily ever after when she got sick. She hoped the bramble woods would protect us…protect me… from taking her legacy. But it’s impossible. She withered and died; there was nothing left at the end.” 

“You must be so scared of the dark fairy,” Farrah rasped. “I know I would be.” 

“I’m not really.” 

“Then you’re fearless,” Ashlynn chuffed. “More so than I.” 

Briar shrugged again, pulling a hand through her braid. “It’s not real bravery. Just…understanding, I guess.” 

Cedar tilted her head, leaning back on her arms where she sat on the floor. “Understanding? What does that mean?” 

“Happily ever after doesn’t exist,” Briar continued, her badly chapped lips pulled into a deep frown. “Not for us, not for our villains, not for anyone. There’s no such thing.” 

“That’s bold of you to say,” Farrah gawked. “There must be happily ever after. Our world would fall apart without it.” 

“My mother got her happy ending, yet died ten years later. One hundred years of sleep with only a decade of life. Ashlynn, you get to marry a creep you just met. Goldie, you get chased down by bears. And Cedar, you’re hung from a tree for the rest of eternity as a punishment for your lies. Does any of that sound like a happily ever after to you?” 

The silence returned, heavy on the backs of those in the common room. Briar tilted her head, losing some of the tension which had gathered in her shoulders. “This place is a farce . We’re not blessed, we’re cursed. Understanding is when you know to be afraid of everything . How scary is a villian when you’re constantly surrounded by fear?” 

Ashlynn didn’t have a good answer. No one else did either, as the room filled with the sounds of tea and lightly clanking porcelain. She thought about her stepsisters and stepmother, how awful they were. But suddenly, the thought of her destiny was even more terrifying. She wouldn’t know the man she’d marry. What kind of person would he be? Ashlynn sunk down in her chair, the thoughts once again bouncing around in her head. 

How scary was her stepfamily compared to a completely unknown future?

Chapter Text

Interlude: A Rose and it's Thorns

“Mama, I’m scared.” 

Briar was seven when she felt the tickle of dark magic for the first time. Rose Beauty found her only daughter in the garden, corpse-like and frozen in time. When the girl awoke from enchanted death, she wept and clung to her, unwilling to let go. She was still just a child sitting upon her mother's lap, a woman so sickly from the touch of the dark fae who cursed their entire lineage that she could barely carry her.

“I know, my little rose. I know.” Rose raked her threadbare fingers through Briar’s hair, soothing her terrified shaking. “Magic is a scary thing. You’re right to fear it.” 

“Will it happen again?” Briar trembled against her breast, gripping her tattered nightgown with the might of a giant. “I didn’t like it.” 

“I had hoped coming here would stop this,” the former Queen whispered, her voice but a rasp of air in her hollow throat. She wished this day hadn’t come so soon. “I hoped the brambles would protect us.” 

“Protect us from what?” 

“From destiny…from the world. But alas, it is simply not to be. I’m sorry to say it will happen again, there is nothing we can do now.” 

It was in the dark of the small stone cottage that Rose Beauty told Briar of their family curse, wiping away her crocodile tears as she placed a heavy truth upon her young daughter's shoulders. Rose was dying. She wasn’t much longer for this world. The bitter magic of coming death rattled in her lungs, spreading like a fungus. She heaved with each breath, and knew that one day soon, her eyes would close and never open again. 

“You can’t go,” Briar wept. “Mama you can’t! I need you. I’m scared.” 

“Oh, shh. Shh, it’s alright. It’s alright.” 

Rose rocked her eldest child, pain aching in her chest. She did everything in her power to try and sway destiny. She left Ever After. She left being royalty. She left her crown and nearly lost her husband. She’d buried her family and heritage so deep in thorns, hoping beyond hope that no one would dare come for them in such a place. But it was no use. The magic was flowing in her daughter’s veins, just as it flowed in her own. Her little girl wouldn’t be given a choice. “Briar, you must listen. Listen little one, this is important.” Setting Briar in the bend of her crossed legs, Rose plucked her namesake from a bush growing up through the floor, thorns and all. She held it between the flats of her fingers, showing it to her eldest. “This is what we are, Briar. This is what you must promise me to become.” 

“A flower, mama?” 

“I can already see that when you grow up, you’ll be beautiful, just like this rose. But do you know why roses have thorns, my darling?” Briar scrunched her face in thought, then shook her head. "Thorns protect roses from all the things in the world that want to destroy them, including us.” Rose gently hooked the skin on her palm with a thorn. Blood dribbled from the new wound, rich and fresh compared to her dusky skin. “The world is a scary place. When I’m gone and can no longer protect you, you must be like this. Be the rose, be the beautiful woman I know you will become, but you also must be the thorns. Draw blood if you must; whatever it takes to protect yourself.” Rose inhaled sharply, caressing her daughter’s face, careful not to leave any of her blood behind. “You must be fearless, Briar. Fear is what our darkness feeds upon.” Rose gently snapped the flower from its stem, tucking the red blossom behind Briar’s ear. “My beautiful daughter. This world is unfair, it’s not what we want. But never forget that the only roses without thorns are the ones that have been cut.” 

Briar seemed to understand, but Rose could only hope. That night, while her husband and boys slept, she stood by her daughter’s window seat. The child was innocent in the moonlight, untouched by the brutality of the world. The former Queen stared at the small vial in her palm, clear liquid bubbling faintly inside. The poison was very real; Rose planned to use it the moment Briar showed her heritage. It would only take one drop to end the suffering; to stop this madness and free her daughter from the chains of legacy. Yet as she watched her eldest sleep, completely unaware of anything and everything besides the night, Rose couldn’t do it. She wasn’t brave enough. 

She returned to the single bedroom in their cottage, sitting at the edge of the mattress. Her husband didn’t even stir as she uncorked the vial, swirling the mixture inside. Briar would have to be strong. She would have to be fearless. 

And she would have to do that…without her.

Chapter Text

Of Villains and Princesses (pt. 1) 

“Most flowers are beautiful just for the sake of pride, but roses are the only sort that draw blood in exchange for their blossoms.” 

“Briar?”

Briar felt someone gently touch her shoulder, their fingertips cold like icicles. She didn’t want to move, lest she lose the brief moment of deep sleep she’d found. “Briar, wake up.” 

“Don’t wanna, go away.” Swatting at the air to shoo the intruder away, Briar caught the tail end of a girlish scoff before she was poked again, this time directly on the cheek. Her eyes flicked open immediately at the invasion of privacy, red eyes meeting bright blue as Apple leaned over her with a tell-tale smile. 

“Good morning,” she tittered, her soft face scrunching up with her grin. “Rise and shine, it’s a beautiful day.” 

Briar didn’t really believe that. She instantly worried about her brothers—wondered if Tenacity had managed to keep them all alive overnight. But her thoughts couldn’t linger that far. It would send her into a tailspin of panic. The next time she saw Darling, she would ask about her special request. She would make sure the Queen was keeping her word . Glancing around in confusion, Briar realized she wasn’t sleeping in the dorm. Apple spoke as if reading her mind: 

“It looks like you had a long night,” she mused, tilting her head and batting at a curl. “It’s nice to see you connecting with your fellow royals.” 

Sitting up, Briar was laying across one of the common room lounge sofas. Ashlynn was asleep in her chair with Farrah right beside her. Blondie was on the other sofa, while Cedar slept on the floor, an arm tossed over her eyes. Had they really all fallen asleep out here? 

“The tea was a bit stronger than I thought,” Apple said, scratching her jawbone thoughtfully. “You didn’t even make it back to your rooms.” 

Briar found Apple’s eyes, raising a brow. “What do you mean?” 

“There was just a little calming magic in the pot, that’s all. Totally harmless,” Apple explained, waving hands innocently as Briar stood from the sofa with a stretch. “It was my mother's idea, actually. She said it would help ease any newcomers in on their first night.” Briar frowned at the idea of being drugged to sleep, but she didn’t have time to really be upset as Apple tugged her hand. “Come with me, I have a surprise for you.” 

Without any energy to fight the summons, Briar followed Apple across the common room and through a pair of gilded double doors. The room was more like a small palace, with a staircase leading up to a loft, tall windows overlooking the castle grounds, a crystal chandelier, and a small sitting area with a fireplace in the shape of a lion's head. They stopped before a mannequin as Apple waved at it, squeezing her arm and puffing out her chest with pride. “Ta-da!” 

Briar blinked, her brain slowly comprehending what she was seeing. It was a dress; certainly not in the colors Apple seemed to favor. The torso was deep magenta with a black sheer layering of net and lace, while the skirt was darker, near raspberry with tulle and more netting bulking up the asymmetrical ruffles. Taking a step closer to the dress, glass beads had been intricately sewn into the shape of curling thorns and roses, while the pattern was pink and embroidered in silk across the darker fabric, allowing it to show. Exploring the fabric between her thumb and forefinger, Briar had never felt anything quite so soft. 

“I didn’t think pastels really suited you,” Apple said, picking up something from the nearby working table and laying it across the mannequin's shoulders. It was a unique beaded jewelry piece made of obsidian marbles, smooth and glossy in their perfection. “What do you think?” 

“You…made this for me?” 

“Of course! You didn’t have anything else with you when you got here, and you can’t attend the first day assembly in this.” Apple picked at Briar’s current ratty frock, wildly shaking her head. “No. You needed something more suited to royalty, something fableous! As my best friend forever after, I need you looking your best at all times. We have reputations to uphold, after all.” 

“But when did you have time to make this?” 

“It seems we’re all light sleepers around here,” Apple breathed, holding up a pair of tall black heels and clacking them together. “Don’t dawdle now, we have to make our grand entrance soon.” 

Briar, not rude enough to deny such a thoughtful gift, stepped up onto a short podium as Apple flitted around her like a moth attracted to flame. She was content fussing over the outfit (and by extension, her ), tugging and flattening things into place. It fit like a glove, hugging every bony curve and hiding Briar’s unimpressive physique. The shoulder piece of marbles was cold against her bare shoulders, while the heels felt awkward and caused her to wobble. Apple was just finishing up her hair when a light knock came at the door. 

“Come in!” 

The suite opened as a familiar head of white and blue streaked hair peeked in. Darling looked well-kept out of her armor, freckled cheeks a fair white, still faintly blushed, but no longer glowing from exertion. “Apple?” 

“Darling! My shining star, good morning.” 

“Hello, your majesty.” Darling outstretched her hands, welcoming Apple into them with a tender kiss on the forehead. “Am I interrupting something?” 

Briar pursed her newly glossed lips, awkwardly holding her cinched waist as she rose from her place at the vanity. She wasn’t used to form-fitting anything . The laces weren’t too tight, but it was a little strange actually having a defined waist. 

“My love, this is Briar, the legacy of Sleeping Beauty. Isn’t she stunning?” 

“Quite so.” Darling gave a bow, her pale lips twitching into a knowing smirk. “I am Darling Charming, your majesty. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

“My girlfriend,” Apple crooned, giving the girl a quick peck on the jawbone. “Isn’t she dashing? My future knight in shining armor.” 

“It’s…uh, nice to meet you,” Briar muttered, half choking on her words. Apple clearly wasn’t told they had already met, nor did she plan to out Darling like that when she’d promised to keep quiet. Thankfully there seemed to be no hard feelings. 

“Likewise. I actually have a message to pass on to you regarding your special legacy request. Seeing as you’re already here, I might as well deliver it now.” 

“Oh?” Briar tilted her head, though her heart sped up in her chest. “What is it?” 

“Your brothers have been taken from the Kingdom of Roses to live with your Aunt and Uncle in the Kingdom of Thorns. They will be well taken care of there.” 

“My…aunt and uncle?” Briar furrowed her brows in confusion. “I have an aunt and uncle?” 

“Of course. It is well known that it was the youngest son of King Beast who left to awaken Sleeping Beauty from her tower.” 

“Your cousin is a legacy just like you,” Apple added pleasantly. “Rosabella is…well, she’s a bit of a funny one, but nice enough.” 

“I had no idea we had family somewhere else.” Briar turned back to the mirror, catching her reflection in it. No amount of lace or obsidian could hide the marks of her home. They cut deep through her flesh, obvious and pale against the sun kissed canvas. The Kingdom of Thorns wasn’t that far away from the bramble woods; she could’ve taken her brothers there at any time if she had known. They were surviving on scraps when they had family only a kingdom away. 

“I spoke with the Knight who made the journey, your majesty,” Darking croaked, perhaps worried about interrupting her tumultuous thoughts. “They made it safe and sound.” 

“I’m grateful,” Briar coughed, pushing away the shame which burned at her eyes in the form of tears. What a horrible guardian she was. “Thank you.” 

“I’ll meet up with you later, Darling, I think Briar needs a moment.” 

There was a short exchange of kisses and a bow before Darling made her way out, softly closing the door behind her. Apple was silent for a moment, giving Briar room to compose herself. 

“You have brothers?” She asked. “I didn’t know that.” 

“Eight brothers,” Briar confirmed, running a hand through her hair. It was so much softer now that it had been properly brushed and washed. “I worried about them when I left.” 

“What about your father, since your mother is…” Apple stopped her train of thought as Briar pivoted in surprise, brows raised. 

“I never told you about my mother.” 

“I…I didn’t mean to overhear anything last night, but the doors can be quite thin,” the Princess admitted, her face scrunching with guilt. “I’m sorry about what happened.” 

“What’s there to be sorry for? It was a long time ago.” Briar folded her arms, rocking precariously on one of her new black heels. She’d need a serious massage by the end of today. “If you must know, my father is probably dead. I was in charge of making sure we survived.” 

“Probably dead?” 

“He left a few months ago to face a creature in the west woods. There’s not much to hunt in the brambles besides monsters and things with scales. He wanted to get more food for us to eat, seeing as fall was coming and the stores were running low. He…well…never came back.” 

“That’s awful.” Apple placed a hand on Briar’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “Is there anything I can do?” 

“No. My brothers are out of danger; that’s all I wanted.” 

“But what about you? Your heart is hurting.” 

Briar gave a faint shrug, inhaling deeply and swallowing the hurt. Her brothers were safe , at least for now. And so long as she didn’t screw this up, they would stay that way. Apple seemed like she had more to say, but was interrupted by a chime. Picking up something from her desk, she gawked at it. “Pages! We’re going to be late if we don’t get going!” Briar blinked as Apple grabbed her arm, tugging her close. “Don’t worry. I can already tell today is going to be a great day. Just you wait!” 

To say Briar was out of her element was an understatement. 

There were bodies everywhere, all flashing different colors and shades. Some looked excited to be there, standing in groups and chatting loudly amongst each other. Others didn’t look too pleased, such as the girl in the red hood sitting on the topmost bench of a set of wooden bleachers, glowering at anyone who dared get close. 

“Cerise Hood, the legacy of Little Red,” Apple whispered to her as they entered. “She’s prickly, a bit like you. You’d make good friends.” 

Wrinkling her nose at being called ‘prickly’, Briar quickly shook it away as there was a girlish gasp. 

“Briar!” Ashlynn hurried towards her, leaving Farrah and Cedar who’d she’d been standing with. The pretty redhead was glowing, her skin clean and her eyes bright. She looked neat in a soft tulle top and patterned skirt, the billowy sleeves sparkling with a faint dash of glitter. “You look so beautiful.” 

“She cleans up nicely, doesn’t she?" Apple agreed, beaming in pride. "I just knew she would.” 

“I feel overdressed,” Briar chuffed, wincing as her companion pulled at piece of hair that hung close to her hand. “Ow, what?” 

“You look fine, don’t be so crabby.” 

“I’m not being crabby.” Briar was lying, but that didn’t mean she needed her demeanor pointed out. “You look good too, Ashlynn. Better than last night, right?” 

Ashlynn playfully scrunched up her nose, nodding to Farrah who had just come up behind her. “Farrah helped with her magic. It was amazing, Briar, you should’ve seen it!” 

Nodding her silent agreement, Briar turned as Apple gave her another slight pull. 

“Come this way. There’s someone I want you to meet.” 

“I’ll talk to you later, Ashlynn.” 

The legacy of Cinderella waved excitedly as they walked off, Briar attempting to remove herself from Apple, only to be held tighter. 

“You don’t have to drag me places. I can walk on my own two feet.” 

“I don’t trust you.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I don’t trust you to not be like Cerise and find a shadow to sulk in instead of making an effort.” 

“I…wouldn’t.” Briar was lying again, though she choked on this one. She probably would go find a solitary place to hide until things settled down. Maybe she’d even try and find a way out of this place if given the chance. Apple seemed to know this too, curling her nails against Briar’s skin. 

“Today is really important for us, which means you need to be paying attention. Royalty is all about who you know. There she is.” 

As they rounded a rather large grouping of other legacies, Briar spotted a shorter, tanner girl standing awkwardly off to one side, chatting with a lanky looking prince. Her brown hair was streaked in red, a pair of thick black glasses resting on the tip of her narrow nose. But her eyes, her rich brown eyes, were so familiar. Just like her father’s. “Rosabella!” 

Rosabella looked up at her name being called, pausing as red met brown. Her stature stiffened up as maroon lips parted in surprise. It was obvious that Rosabella knew who she was…but not the other way around. Stopping a few feet from the stranger, Briar could see the resemblance now. She looked at a similar face every day, though Rosabella was much healthier and rounder than she was and had a faint dash of freckles from her nose to the edges of her ears. 

“Rose.” 

Briar held back her eye roll at the use of her actual name. “Briar,” she corrected. “My name is Briar.” 

“I…uh, didn’t see you yesterday,” the bespectacled girl mumbled, awkwardly pushing some hair back behind her furry scruff. “When did you get in?” 

“Briar was the last to arrive last night,” Apple explained. “I wanted you two to meet before the assembly.” 

“Yeah, of course,” Rosabella smiled as best she could, though it was taught and unsure. “I mean…it’s been so long.”

Briar arched a curious brow. “Have we met before?” 

Rosabella blinked, glanced at Apple briefly for help, before she cleared her throat. “No, not formally. You are a few months older than me. But your dad is my dad’s brother, which makes us…” 

“Cousins, yeah I know that part,” Briar moaned, rubbing the place between her brows. She was getting a headache. “I wasn’t ever told about you.” 

“You…oh,” Rosabella’s eyes widened a bit as some sort of realization hit her, causing her face to light up. “I see. So this is sudden for you, learning about me?” 

“Something like that,” Briar confirmed, folding her arms casually and settling on a hip. “Based on that face when you saw me, you knew about me, though. Right?” 

“My dad…he has strong opinions about his brother, my mom too. They didn’t agree when he left with Sleeping Beauty.” 

“Yeah well, next time you talk to your dad, let him know that his brother is dead. Maybe that’ll make him feel better about it.” 

Rosabella gawked and Apple gasped, placing both hands over her mouth. Briar leaned back slightly, rolling the regret at her words off her shoulders. Clearly her father and uncle didn’t get along—there was probably a reason she was never told about her family in the Kingdom of Thorns. Before the conversation could continue, a voice echoed above their heads. 

‘To your seats, students. The assembly is about to begin!’ 

“I guess we should go,” Apple croaked, glancing at Rosabella who was still obviously shellshocked. “We’ll see you later.” 

Grabbing onto Briar’s arm, Apple pulled her away towards an empty set of benches by Ashlynn and Farrah, waving a finger in her face. “Why would you say that? It was going so well.” 

“Because that’s the truth?” Briar huffed as she sat down, elegantly folding one leg over her knee. “I don’t do the hearts and kisses thing, Apple. Life hurts, there’s no need to soften it.” 

“Magic mirrors, you are prickly!” 

“Maybe I am.” 

Apple hmphed, pouting as she rest her chin on her open hand. Briar just rolled her eyes in exasperation, glancing curiously over her shoulder. Rosabella had found a spot next to her gangly, glasses wearing Prince, though she didn’t look too excited. At meeting her gaze, the girl’s brows furrowed. Turning back ahead as the students quieted down and settled into their seats, they were staring at an empty set of other benches right across from them. The silence was loud as there was a mighty BANG from both directions, followed by the rattling of chains and the clanking of metal armor. 

“It’s them…” Apple whispered beside her, practically vibrating with excitement. “The villain-touched.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: Of Villains and Princesses (pt. 2) 

“Survival comes naturally in the enchanted wastes. If one is not a hunter, then they are the hunted. If one is not a hunter, then they are as good as dead.” 

“Welcome one, welcome all, to Ever After! The place where all your fairytale dreams are sure to come true!” 

Queen Snow White stood above the congregation on a small balcony, speaking so loudly that the entire room could hear her. The woman’s long ebony hair fell in curly tendrils down her back, so unlike Apple’s which were pale and shimmering faintly like the sun. She stood with a group of other adults, the most prominent being a tall, stately looking man with a pinched face, beady eyes, and a mustache that just didn’t sit quite right above his lip. 

“I’m sure you’re all hexcited about your first day,” the Queen continued. “But before classes begin, it’s important that we all understand the most basic founding principle of Ever After. You are the sons and daughters of the greatest legacies to ever exist, chosen especially by the Storybook of Legends to continue an honored and sacred tradition. Here, you will learn all you need to complete your stories to their fullest, from our most dashing heroes, to our evilest of villains. Remember legacies, we all have our parts to play, for better or for worse.” 

Apple was riveted to her mother’s words as though she hadn’t heard them a million times before. After all, the Queen’s daughter had spouted that last line verbatim the night before. She probably had this entire speech memorized, now that Briar thought about it. 

“Before we begin with the lesson, I first must introduce my head faculty. For our royals, Vice Headmaster Grimm will be looking after you. For our vicious villains, Vice Headmistress Yaga. And of course, I am Snow White, Queen of Ever After, fairest of them all, and this year's Headmistress.” 

There was some light clapping, mostly from the royal bleachers. Across the room, the villains were nearly entirely silent besides the eerie rattling of chains. Many of them had on heavy metal collars or cuffs, bolting them to their places. And, if Briar squinted hard enough, she could see the faint shimmer of a magical barrier keeping them restricted to their side of the room. No face looked pleased to be there; many even looked frightened, like the blonde boy who sat at the very front. He stuck out sore thumb in the midst of blacks, teals, grays with a jacket of white and gold, his wide blue eyes staring down at his shoes. 

“Hey, Apple?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Who is that?” 

Nodding to the boy, Apple’s lips flickered slightly. “That’s Daring, Darling’s older brother. They have another brother too named Dexter, you saw him with Rosabella earlier.” 

“What’s he doing over there?” Briar wondered, tilting her head. “He looks terrified.” 

“We all thought he would be a hero, like Darling,” Apple explained. “For a while mom thought he might be my Prince Charming one day. But he’s actually destined to become the Beast.” 

“The Beast? As in…?” 

“Beauty and the Beast? Rosabella’s legacy.” 

Briar screwed up her face in confusion. “He doesn’t look like a beast now, though.” 

“He will be someday. Until he’s turned good, he’s on the villain's side.” 

“That seems a little cruel, doesn't it?” 

“For better or for worse, Briar. You heard what mom said. Now shh, Headmaster Grimm is talking.” 

Bristling at the regurgitation of Snow White’s words, Briar shook away her annoyance as Headmaster Grim stepped to the edge of the balcony, a notecard in one hand as he cleared his throat. 

“Good morning students, I am Milton Grimm, honored Vice Headmaster here at Ever After. Today is an auspicious day, as it is time for our very first lesson. As you know, each legacy is important, both the good and the bad. Therefore it is imperative we all understand each other's stories, even if it's not your own. Today, heroes, princes and princesses will be meeting their most dreaded villains.” 

There was a nervous rumble in the crowd, bodies shifting and voices squeaking under their breaths. Apple exhaled shakily beside her. Briar couldn’t help it as her own fists clenched, eying the bleachers across the charmnasium. 

“Quiet down, quiet down now! This exercise is perfectly safe, and we have our trusted faculty standing by. We will call each name individually. When your name is called, you will come stand in the middle of the floor. The same goes for the villain’s side. When the timer begins, the magical barrier between you will drop for approximately three minutes. What happens in that three minutes…well…is up to the students.” 

Another rise of noise, whispers and worried chatter. Across the bleachers, a few of the villain legacies were grinning from ear to ear, popping their knuckles. Cedar’s words from the night before rattled in Briar’s ears. It’s to make us afraid of our villains.  

“Up first will be our very own Apple White, legacy of Snow White.” 

Briar heard Apple gulp beside her, stiff as a statue as she stood up, her hands shaking in fear. Headmistress Yaga, who had yet to speak herself, held a list up to her glasses and spoke the name of Apple’s villain. 

“Raven Queen, legacy of the Evil Queen.” 

There was a buzz, and Briar felt Ashlynn lean over to grab her shoulder. Patting the hand to try and settle its quivering, Briar refused to take her eyes off what was about to happen. Apple was met in the center of the room by a girl pale as the moon, with eyes a deep aubergine with hair to match. She was dripping in chains, the links clattering to the floor as she knelt on the hardwood. 

“I expected more from the Evil Queen’s daughter,” someone whispered up the benches, their tone snarky and unimpressed. “How pathetic is she?” 

“Do you think she has dark magic? Is it safe to not have a barrier between them?” 

The gossip was rampant, though Briar didn’t partake. She instead leaned forward on an arm as there was a chime and a ripple of light. The barrier was removed and the charmnasium was completely silent. Apple stood very still, wincing like she was expecting to be attacked. But Raven said and did nothing, remaining exactly where she was placed on the floor. 

“What do you think she’s up to?” Ashlynn whispered in her ear, drawing her eye. The worry on the redhead’s face made her brow ruffle. “I hear she’s the most evil of them all. Do you suppose it’s true?” 

“I don’t think she really wants to do this either,” Briar whispered back, a sudden shiver rocking down her spine. Glancing away from her roommate, a pair of deep, dark eyes were focused right on her. Puzzled for a moment if she was hallucinating, Briar rubbed her face with an arm. When she returned focus, Raven was still staring at her, brows notched slightly higher than before, almost as though they were hopeful.  

“One minute.” 

Raven shifted on her knees, struggling to stand under the weight of her chains. The room was still enough to hear a pin drop. Briar pursed her lips as the legacy of the Evil Queen shifted backwards on her heels, wincing as she did. 

“Thirty-seconds.” 

“Raven?” Apple whispered curiously, seeming confused. “Where are you going?” 

No response came as Raven just turned her back, dragging herself towards the bleachers without a word. There was a disappointed murmur as the barrier flickered back into existence. Snow White looked displeased up on her balcony, snapping her fingers at a dwarf who was taking notes for her. Apple returned to the bench, sitting in silence as Briar nudged her with a shoulder. 

“You ok?” 

“Fine.” 

“You somehow look paler than when you left.” 

“She turned her back on me,” Apple croaked, grabbing at her hair. “She walked away.” 

“And? Isn’t that a good thing?” 

“No. No, no, this is terrible.” 

Confused, Briar returned her attention forward as names continued to be called. There didn’t seem to be any specific order: Ashlynn was heckled by her stepsisters for three minutes straight (something that didn’t sit right in Briar’s gut), Blondie was huddled in a corner as three bears sniffed around the gym, and Cedar was nearly forced to buy a knockoff watch from a tall fox-like girl in a trench coat, and only after she said ‘no’ enough times did she get threatened to be strung up a tree for the inconvenience. Generally speaking, meeting the villains of their stories wasn’t as scary as anyone thought. Well…almost. 

“Rose Beauty, legacy of Sleeping Beauty.” 

Briar stood, getting nervous thumbs up from her company as she descended to the floor. Standing in the correct spot, something horrible curled in her gut. It tasted like tar and felt like poison, writhing within her chest like a sudden wildfire. 

“Faybelle Thorn, legacy of the Dark Fairy.” 

Faybelle. She was dragged down from the bleachers, covered in chains just as Raven had been. But, unlike the Evil Queen’s legacy, this girl thrashed and kicked, her white hair a mess of tangles with impressive fangs sparkling behind dark blue lips. Her hands were hidden inside metallic boxes, perhaps to keep her from using magic, while her ratty looking wings were tipped in silver, perhaps for a similar reason. As she was shoved onto her place across the barrier, Briar had a sudden and overpoweringly bad feeling about this. 

Staring into the future dark fairy’s brilliantly sharp eyes, Briar felt it. The magic. The burn of something she had only felt tickles of in her dreams. The reality of it was here in front of her; this was the girl who was going to put her to sleep for one hundred years. Not only that, but she had the look of a starved animal curling her face, the expression angry and threatened. Taking a slight step back from her, Briar slowly removed her heels, stepping barefoot onto the hardwood. 

Three minutes. She had to last three minutes. 

“Ready.” 

No.  

“Begin.” 

Briar didn’t wait for the barrier to drop. She didn’t wait for the flash or the ripple. She was on the other side of the room, back against the wall, ready to bolt. When the magic was taken away, Faybelle’s eyes were instantly on her . She snarled, hissed, and flared her leaden wings ferociously. 

“I’m going to kill you,” she spat, heaving a shoulder to bang one one of her hands against the floor. The steel box shattered easily, sending metallic pieces skittering across the Charmnasium. With her magic now free, there was a flashbang as the rest of the chains and the second box unlocked themselves, falling to the floor in a metal heap. 

“…protect the other students!” 

There were screams as a secondary magical barrier was thrown up, protecting the royal bleachers from harm as Faybelle forcefully ripped the metal caps off her wingtips. She was a dangerous force to be reckoned with, and Briar had absolutely nowhere to run. 

Jumping into the air, Faybelle raised her claws, the ground trembling under Briar’s feet as the wood of the Charmnasium began to buckle. Stumbling away in a hurry and sliding across the floor, massive tendrils of black vines and thorns exploded from the dirt, twisting and writhing about. Scrambling to escape the other way, Briar yelped as she was nearly impaled, a forest of familiar brambles sprouting up around her. 

“You’re done!” Faybelle hissed, her eyes glowing the most ferocious shade of blue Briar had ever seen. “I’m ending this here and now!” 

There was a foomph as a ball of light flashed from between the fairy’s hands, hurtling straight for her. Jumping to one side and wiggling under a branch, there was a flash of hot air as the bolt burned up the floor right where she had just been. Faybelle wasn’t playing around. Now in the midst of the forest of vines, all twisting and thrashing, Briar felt a familiar ache in her bones. She’d spent hours back home hunting in an environment just like this one. The ducking and weaving movements were familiar to her as she traversed deeper into the mess, ignoring the sharp prickles which caught in her hair and scratched her skin. 

She wasn’t at Ever After anymore. She was home again, being hunted by something that was just as starving and desperate as her. 

“Where’d you go, little princess?” Faybelle sang above, Briar flattening herself under a few thicker vines and remaining perfectly still. “You can’t hide forever.” 

Briar exhaled shakily, crawling achingly slow in whatever direction was available. Had it been three minutes yet? Why wasn’t someone doing something! 

“Peek a’ boo!” 

Faybelle’s voice was close. Too close as something wrapped around Briar’s ankle, tearing her from the brush and back into the light. The sensation of being thrown was obvious, wind whipping her hair as though she was flying. But it didn’t last longer than a second or two. Briar saw the wall, but it came faster than she could block it. There was a sickening crack as she struck against the mortar, a few pieces following her down as collapsed in a heap on the floor, crying out in pain and grabbing at her waist which exploded in blotches of red and white.

“ Briar!” 

That was Ashlynn’s hoarse cry somewhere in the distance. Was she ok? Where was everyone else?

“It’s been three minutes, put the barrier back up!” 

“Somebody do something, she’s going to kill her!” 

“Mother!” Apple’s voice, “stop it!” 

Briar knew it was stupid to stop now. A familiar winged shadow was fluttering closer; she couldn’t just lay here venerable. Still clutching what she knew was a broken rib (maybe even two), Briar rolled to her knees, then back to her feet. The Charmnasium was nothing but chaos. There were brambles everywhere and a dusty haze hung in the air. The ceiling was falling in on itself, while the wooden floor was buckled and shattered to pieces. Scrambling towards the vines again, the pain was immense. She wasn’t going to make it. She wasn’t going to get out of this. 

“You’re pathetic,” Faybelle hissed at her from behind. “Princesses are so fragile.” 

Briar growled at the implication that she was anywhere close to fragile, falling against a large bramble and clinging to it with her arms. Finding the nearest thorn, took hold of it with her fingers, breaking off its tip and clutching it tightly. Before she could move any further, a heavy boot struck her between the shoulder blades, sending her stumbling into the thorny trap. Her waist flared up again as Faybelle pushed her onto her back with a foot, digging her rubber sole deeper into her already broken ribcage. 

“Does that hurt?” She goaded as Briar clenched her teeth, blood sending a coppery taste between her lips and past her teeth. “I don’t have time to waste on my mothers legacy. I can be better. Faster.” 

“Y-you’re the one who’s pathetic,” Briar spat back at the girl, remembering the advice her mother gave her so many years ago. “I’m not afraid of you.” 

Faybelle sneered, her uniquely pretty features curling into something disgusted. “You should be afraid. I’ll show all these fools who the real evilest of them all is. They’ll never forget my name.” 

“Prove it.” 

Briar knew it was probably unwise to annoy the girl who had a boot on her chest, but she had to go with her gut. Use Faybelle’s pride against her; use it to gain an upper hand. So busy fuming over being challenged, the fairy had paused her attack, if only for a moment. 

Now! Do it now! 

Briar lunged forward, ignoring how Faybelle’s boot pressed harder into her ribs. She slammed the sharp end of the thorn deep into the fairy’s thigh, twisting it so it caused more damage on the way in. The shriek of pain which accompanied the attack was high enough to break glass. Faybelle stumbled backwards, allowing Briar room to pull herself up, using a bare foot to swipe the other girl's legs out from under her. She fell onto her back with a grunt, still clawing at her leg as Briar found a thorny branch, snapping it from its root. 

“I’m not afraid of you!” Briar spat again, clutching her makeshift weapon so hard the prickles sliced into her palm. “You are nothing to me!” 

“B-but…” Faybelle, for the first time since they started, lost the look of anger on her face. Briar saw only a blank, confused, young canvas. She was just a teenager, just like her. “I’m your legacy.”

“I never wanted this legacy,” Briar hissed, stepping closer with her weapon as Faybelle frantically slid backwards on her wings. “I never wanted this. I never wanted you. My mom died because of her story, I lost my family and everything I loved because of this stupid legacy. If you think you have the right to end it this way, then so do I!” 

Briar lifted her arm in an arc before plunging it downwards. She wanted to finish this before it started; she wanted to nip the rose in the bud before it could bloom. Yet as Faybelle watched the pike swing down at her, her silver eyes were filled with… fear. For a split second—perhaps a moment too long—Briar knew they were in the same boat. Two legacies. One story. No choices. She inhaled sharply, changing the trajectory of her strike. It no longer hit Faybelle’s heart, but instead punctured a hole straight through one of her wings, causing the girl to shriek again in pain. 

“I’m no princess,” Briar growled, dropping to her knees and straddling the girl as she stared down at her from above. Faybelle’s eyes were brimming with tears as her chest rose and fell from panic. Her silver eyes searched Briar’s face, looking for… something. Whatever it was, she didn’t find it as a pathetic gurgle of a whimper escaped her chest. “Don’t make me regret not killing you.” 

Rising to stand, Briar’s entire body was radiating with heat. She couldn’t even tell what was broken anymore; ribs, ankle, shoulder? Everything hurt. Dragging herself through the rubble, dribbling blood and limping with each step, the faint pink shine of the barrier became visible. The magic had kept Faybelle’s destruction contained, meaning no one else was hurt. Thank the stars for that, she supposed. 

“Briar!” Ashlynn was up against the wall, banging and slamming her shoulder into it. The backs of her hands were bloodied, perhaps from punching the unbreakable magic, while her fingernails were snapped off and swollen. Apple was with her, blue eyes huge and red ringed with terror and confusion. Taking another step towards them—towards safety—Briar looked up to the balcony. Queen Snow White stood there, her dark blue eyes serene. Despite her elegant face however, there was fury in those eyes. Had she planned this? Had she wanted a different outcome? 

“Briar!” 

Ashlynn’s desperate cry drew her back. Briar took another step, but felt her knees give up. Her body buckled to the floor, for once not in magic, but just in agony. She stared down the floor in a pained daze, watching two figures in silver armor drag Faybelle from the rubble by her elbows, a stake of brambles still puncturing her left wing. Briar didn’t feel good about what she’d done. She didn’t want to draw blood from another legacy. But she refused to let her mother’s memory and advice go to waste. Allowing her eyes to flutter shut, Briar exhaled a deep and tedious breath as pain rushed to the front of her mind.  

She was the rose, but also the thorns that came with it. She made her mother proud today, and she refused to lay down without a fight. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 8: Aubergine

"They say lost love destroys the soul. But really, it's a heart unwilling to break that causes the most damage." 

Apple wasn’t used to being clueless. 

She took pride in her adaptability, keeping things moving and organized in all the right directions. It was a skill she had inherited from her mom; in their palace of glass, efficiency was key. Everything had a place and a purpose. Apple spent most of her life making sure she was the epitome of Ever After royalty; she knew the what’s-what and who’s-who like nobody else. Ever since looking at her destiny when she was still only as tall as her mother’s knee, Apple White liked having full control of her life and legacy. In fact, being out of control was something that haunted her dreams. 

As of right now, she was completely directionless. And that simply wouldn’t do. 

Apple thought she had everything under control; she was doing what mom asked for. She was carefully and strategically wiggling her way into Briar’s good graces, using gifts and conversation to steer the prickly daughter of Sleeping Beauty in the right direction. She was pulling out every trick in the book to make sure things went exactly the way they were supposed to. Personally, Apple thought it was all going quite well. She liked Briar as a fellow royal, sharp edges and bitterness over destiny aside. Sure, she came off a little rough, but the daughter of roses was surprisingly soft spoken and gracious when her life wasn’t actively being threatened. 

Unfortunately–though, not entirely surprisingly–Briar and Faybelle mixed as well as an open flame and a box of matches. They caught fire almost immediately. But, unlike most Princesses who would’ve simply been pulled out of the fray as soon as it began, Briar Rose Beauty was a different (and ferocious) beast. Not only did she survive the encounter with someone as ravenous as Faybelle Thorn, but she actually came out on top. That wasn’t to say she was unscathed; two broken ribs, a fractured ankle, and concussion were the reward for her recklessness. But Faybelle didn’t come out looking too good either with a stomach-churning open wound in her thigh and a hole torn into her wing. 

Safe to say they would never be allowed in the same room again. At least, not without proper precautions, anyway. 

“Will she be ok?” 

Apple turned away from her whirlwind thoughts, staring back into the nurse's ward from her distant corner. Ashlynn was perched delicately on a stool, her hands bandaged twice over from how hard she’d been banging against the magical barrier, trying to break through it. Farrah was with her, pale pink hands on her shoulders. The princess and future fairy godmother had been attached at the hip since meeting; Apple wished she could make friends that fast. Briar was tucked neatly into one of Madame Baba Yaga’s cots, either asleep or unconscious for the time being. Her skin was mottled with deep purple bruises, and the dress Apple had spent all night working on was in tatters. 

“She’ll be just fine, my dear, not to worry.” Vice Headmistress Yaga–just Madame Yaga to her students–said, uncorking a vial of potion as a tendril of smoke coughed itself into a cloud. “I have just the thing for these quick fixes. Mind your breakfast’s ladies, this is unpleasant to hear.” 

Tilting the vial over Briar’s partially open lips, a single drop was all it took. The girl’s body jerked with a harsh gasp of air, the sounds of broken bone shifting back into place causing Ashlynn to pale and nearly fall off her stool. It caused Apple to nearly lose her stomach. Quickly skirting from the room and into the hallway, she was holding a hand over her mouth, trying to keep from heaving, when a long and familiar shadow passed over her. Glancing up, her mom was staring down at her, a brow slowly rising from its place. 

“Mom.” 

“Apple-pie. What are you doing?” 

“I was just with…Briar. The healing potion…it’s…” 

“Unpleasant, yes, I understand now.” The Queen nodded her head, though her normally serene face was pinched unhappily. “Tell me, what happened today?” 

“I guess Briar and Faybelle are destined to be enemies after all.” 

“No, no, not that. Between you and Raven. What happened?” 

Apple’s stomach sank at the memory, betrayal and hurt burning the tail end of her heart. “I…I wish I knew.” 

“Then you best figure it out.” 

“What?” 

“Your legacy is dependent on that girl, Apple,” Snow White hissed, her ruby lips curling at the edges to make a sneer. “The legacy of the Evil Queen is what makes us–what makes you–royalty.” 

“I know mom.” 

“You say that, yet you don’t seem keen on making it true. Did you speak to the girl when you met face to face?” 

“N-no.” 

“Did you encourage her to be evil in any way?” 

“No.” 

“Then you’ve failed.” 

Apple straightened up, shame prickling just behind her ribs. “But…” 

“Sometimes destiny needs a push, my sweet. You need to be proactive in making sure Raven follows her legacy, just as you’ve been doing with Miss Rose.” 

“Briar."

Snow White’s face curled again, this time in obvious annoyance. “Don’t tell me you’ve become attached to our little rebel’s prickly disposition?” She accused, her brow rising even higher as Apple fiddled with her fingertips, mindlessly rubbing the flats of her acrylics. 

“You told me to befriend her. That’s what I’ve been doing.” 

“Befriend her, yes, but not lose your sense of self in the process. Don’t let that girl’s horrific attitude taint your mind, Apple. Everything and everyone have their place. Without order, Ever After will fall apart. And when it does, it’s your future that will crumble first.” 

“I…I understand, mom.” Apple dropped her head, shuttering a near-teary sigh as the Queen moaned under her breath, rubbing the place between her brows. 

“Apple, you know I love you, darling. But someday, it’ll be your turn to rule the Kingdom. And when that time comes, you must understand the importance of following our traditions. Go to Raven yourself and pick her brain about what happened today. Once you know, do something about it. I will handle Miss Rose myself.” 

“I…yes mom. I’ll find Darling and…” 

“Unnecessary, my sweet. Knight Shining Star is currently on errand accompanying our Wonderlandian legacies back to Ever After. I’m sure you’re brave enough to face Raven alone. Or are you looking to fail me again?” Not willing to dignify her mother’s accusation with an answer, Apple merely shook her head silently. The Queen sighed long and deep, steepling her fingers as her own nails faintly clacked together. “You’ll be a great Queen someday, Apple. I have assured a strong legacy in you. But you still have much to learn. Now go; don’t disappoint me.” 

As the Queen waved her hand, Apple gave a quick curtsy, lifting her skirts as she darted around the counter and practically fell against the nearest wall. 

Talking to Raven alone? Apple grabbed worriedly at her curls, her heart thumping rapidly in her chest. She sunk to the floor; legs outstretched in a very inelegant way. She couldn’t speak to Raven alone.

Apple wasn’t afraid of what the future Evil Queen might do, but rather, what she might say. Raven didn’t have the disposition for violence—a hot temper, sure—but not violence. Her tongue was sharp, but it tasted like raspberries…no. Apple shook her head wildly, pulling her eyes to her knees. It had been years since she spoke to Raven. Years since she even saw her. Years since she let the purple haired beauty kiss her secretly under the apple tree behind mom’s palace, tender and loving and so very sweet. 

They had been best friends back then, maybe even a little more, had destiny not been so cruel. 

Now it just felt like a bitter lie. All that time they spent together: the laughter, the handholding, the hugs and kisses, it was tainted by something that made Apple’s stomach churn. She always knew Raven would one day poison her, but that knowledge didn’t go both ways. Only a few were allowed to know their destinies before the Summoning; those in the Queen’s closest circles. Apple knew, she always knew, and yet she never said a word. She still recalled the day Raven found out about her legacy. The heartbreak in her beautiful aubergine eyes, the hurt twisted on her pretty red lips. Apple had nightmares about it for weeks. It was her punishment for being so clueless. Mom never found out about them being together, and Apple feared the day she did. It was better this way, safe on her side of destiny with Raven on the other. She had her happily ever after to think about, after all. Darling was her true love; it was right there in black and white. Yet her and Raven were still tangled together in an impossible web. After all these years, they finally found each other again. 

“Pages.” Apple cursed under her breath. She had to go talk to Raven. 

The first day of classes had been canceled after the destruction of the Charmitorium. The villain-touched had been returned to their assigned dorms, locked down and guarded to make sure no one else got any funny ideas. Walking down the nearly silent hall, Apple rehearsed what to say in her mind. What happened today? Why did you leave? This is destiny. All the usual things mother had drilled her in since birth. Turning a corner and into a small annex, the lights were dark, and the air was cold. Two White Knights stood guard, still as statues beside a heavy wooden door bolted in iron. Walking closer to them, they both straightened, slamming the ends of their spears against the ground. 

“Your majesty,” one greeted. The other just nodded silently. 

“I’m here to see Raven.” 

“You wish to enter the chamber?” The first knight seemed unsure, awkwardly looking to his companion who shrugged. “Where’s Knight Shining Star? Isn’t he usually with you?” 

“Knight Shining Star is on an errand in Wonderland,” Apple explained simply. “I wish to speak with Raven alone, please.” 

The guards seemed hesitant to allow it. But, seeing as she was the future Queen of the land, they eventually pivoted and pulled the deadbolt from the lock, allowing it to scrape against its hinges. Apple winced at the horrible noise, but refused to chicken out as the door was opened for her, creaking in the empty hallway. 

“If you need anything, just yell, your majesty.” 

“Of course. Thank you, gentlemen.” 

Passing into the dark stone chamber, Apple swallowed as the door was closed behind her. Of course, she wasn’t actually in Raven’s tower cell, just outside it. Like in the Charmnasium, a heavy metal gate standing from ceiling to floor kept them separated, magic proofed by an invisible barrier. She was still close enough for something to go wrong though, and that made her nervous. Stepping up to the grate and wrapping her fingers around the cold metal, Apple looked through one of the square holes. Raven was sitting on her cot, silently staring out her single barred window into the dying afternoon. “Raven?” No answer. Apple pursed her lips, frustration rising into her throat as she spoke a little louder. “Raven, please talk to me.” 

“No.” The girl's voice was a rough, strained croak, either ragged from the cold of the cell, or from crying. Raven didn’t turn from the window, shifting so that her back was to Apple, just like when they met earlier. “Go away.” 

“Not until you answer my questions.” 

“I don’t owe you any answers. Don’t waste your breath.” 

“You made a fool of me today; do you know that?” Apple kicked the metal bars, causing them to clatter. Raven still didn’t turn, folding her arms and leaning her head against the nearest wall. “The whole school was watching, what gives?” 

“What were you expecting?” Raven barely glancing over her back to give Apple a harsh glare. The future queen sputtered, trying to grab some sort of answer. The words were fluttering around in her head like a group of night moths. 

“Anything, Raven. Anything other than what you did,” Apple managed finally. “You are the future Evil Queen. The most wicked of them all..."

“I think Faybelle wants that title more than I do,” Raven drawled, chuffing out a breath. “Though, maybe she doesn’t deserve it, seeing as she got her butt kicked. Who was she, anyway?” 

“Who was who?” Apple tilted her head, taking a step back as Raven rolled off the cot, stepping up to the barrier. Her purple eyes were red ringed and crusty. She’d been crying recently. 

“The Princess who nearly killed Faybelle.” 

“Briar,” Apple answered, hoping to break through some of the ice which had formed on Raven’s heart. “She’s…well, a little rough around the edges. But we’re working on it.” 

“And she's still alive after all that?” 

“As well as she can be after being attacked, I guess. Madame Baba Yaga is tending to her now.” 

“Hmm.” Raven nodded, seemingly lost in thought as Apple cleared her throat and summoned her courage again.

“Raven, why did you turn your back on me today? Of all days?” 

“That’s rich coming from you,” the witch snorted, narrowing her already exhausted, bruised eyes and sneering at her from beyond the bars. “You’re the queen of stabbing people in the back, yet you get your tiara in a twist the moment it happens to you.” 

“I didn’t…” Apple cut off her train of thought. She did. “You weren’t my happily ever after, Raven. It wasn’t ever supposed to be serious.” 

“Maybe not to you. But you’re not really the type to think about anyone but yourself.” 

“This legacy isn’t just mine!” Apple snarled, struggling to hold in her current frustration. She always hated how chilly Raven was under pressure. The girl still had a temper, but it was so difficult to get it out of her, even in the worst possible circumstances. “It’s yours too, Raven. It’s our legacy. We do this together.” 

“Lick. My. Talons. Apple.” 

“How dare you!” Apple slammed her fist against the iron between them, causing it to shake. “Is this what you wanted? Revenge because you couldn’t be the one. I’m happy now with Darling, you can’t take that away by denying your legacy out of pettiness!”

“Still only thinking about you, I see,” Raven snorted again, shaking her head. “At least I know you’ll never change. The legacy may be ‘ours’, but I want nothing to do with it. I never have and never will. If that choice just so happens to make you miserable, then so be it.” Apple scowled, huffing in anger as Raven returned to her cot, sinking down into the threadbare mattress. “You’re not welcome here, Apple. I have nothing else to say to you. Leave me alone.”

“Fine. But don’t think this is over.”

“The legacy can’t continue on without me. And I say to Ever After with it all! So yes, it is over.” 

“You didn’t used to be this difficult!” Apple shrieked, stomping a foot so her heel cracked against the stone tower floor. Raven sneered at her once more, showing off her mouth of beautiful pearly whites. 

“And you didn’t used to be so much like your mom, but here we are.” 

“I said I was sorry.” 

“You’re not sorry! If you were, you and I never would’ve happened. We wouldn’t have happened. You used me, lied to me, dumped me, and now you think I have even a shred of care for you."

“You loved me once!” Apple barked in desperation. “I know you did.” 

Raven, for the first time since the conversation began, paused. She rose back to her feet, moving to the window and looking out at the expansive grounds below. “I did love the girl you were, Apple. Before things changed. Before you made the decision to lie to me because some stupid book said so.” 

“We were never meant to be. It just isn't written that way. We were young. I didn't know any better."

“Then this conversation is over. I don’t care about you, Apple. I don’t care about you, I don’t care about this legacy, and I don’t care if I die keeping it that way. Now get out, before I make you.” 

Raven’s eyes burned a ferocious shade of purple as Apple swallowed her pride and stepped back. She knew when she was beat. Returning to the door, Apple rapped on the wood as she took one last look over her shoulder. Raven was sitting again, her head in her hands. As the chamber opened, she quickly made her exit, unwilling to look at either of the guards as she left. The tears burned her eyes as she fast-walked back to her own room, locking herself in as she fell onto the nearest sofa. A deep, shuttering sigh escaped her lips. She loved Raven too once, when they were both young and stupid. Before destiny decided to play a cruel trick and show her the love of her life in black and white-someone who wasn’t the moonlight skinned girl with aubergine hair and eyes. Apple liked having control of her destiny; she wanted everything to be perfect, just like mother said it would be. But as the horizon shimmered and changed from gold to purple, the future Queen of the land closed her eyes and groaned angrily. 

She could still feel Raven, beating annoyingly against her ribcage. Etched forever on her heart. 

Chapter Text

Chapter 9: Escapades

“…and to the highest room she climbed, up, up, up, with no intention of stopping until she reached the stars.” 

“...Ashlynn, you can’t do anything more here…”  

“No.” 

“Ash, Briar needs to rest and so do you. It’s been a stressful day for all of us…” 

“I said I’m not leaving. She’s my friend and I’m not going anywhere till I know she’s ok.” 

… 

… 

“I fear something is stirring, your majesty. It’s simmering just under the surface, like a cauldron coming to boil.” 

“Are you threatening me, witch?” 

“No, of course not. I’m just stating facts. Things are changing, Snow. Far faster than you may think. Be wary of this.” 

“I don’t need your chicken bones to give me warnings, Baba Yaga.” 

“Secrets and lies are a dangerous thing, my queen. Don’t let pride overshadow your judgment; don’t let your lies poison the brew.” 

…

…

“Briar. Briar, I know you can hear me. Wake up. Wake. Up… 

… 

Briar’s eyes opened. She took a cautious breath, her lungs stale from many hours trapped in enchanted death. She didn’t remember having an attack, but then again, it was difficult to remember anything that had happened today. Sitting up slowly and taking a look around, she had been returned to her dorm sometime during the night. Curiously, Ashlynn’s bed was empty. 

A familiar sense of urgency blazed to life in Briar’s gut, shattering the groggy daze which tended to linger after just waking up. She knew the feeling well, as it appeared whenever one of her brothers was out late, or had been quiet for way too long. Searching in the dark for her fickle roommate, a sigh of relief came upon spotting her. Ashlynn was curled up in one of the wingback chairs, gangly limbs twisted and bent in every possible direction to make the position work. Her fair skin was mottled with dark soot stains, while her strawberry hair was a frizzy, unkempt mess. She’d obviously been head first in a fireplace somewhere, through which one, Briar couldn’t really be sure. 

Swinging herself over the bedside, the daughter of roses stretched as she stood up, instantly grabbing at her waist which flashed with pain. The memories came flooding back. She nearly died. Right. How could she forget about that? Pressing around her ribcage with both fingers, exploring the bones which puckered along her side, nothing seemed broken or out of place. Taking a careful step forward, her ankle hurt too, hot and throbbing from a nasty twist, but it held her weight. Had she not been as badly injured as she thought? That seemed impossible, seeing as Faybelle was ruthless and out for blood. Yet no matter how much Briar rattled her brain, all she got was a ringing in her ears. 

Cursing her poor memory, Briar rubbed the back of her neck as she walked to where Ash was passed out in her chair. She didn’t look comfortable, all bent out of shape in order to fit. Rolling her eyes at the absurdity of choosing this spot instead of her own bed to sleep, Briar gently snaked her arms under Ashlynn’s back, hoisting her up with a short huff of breath. The legacy of Cinderella didn’t even stir and she was light as a feather, but Briar didn’t have the energy to carry her all the way across the room. She barely made it back to her own bed, carefully tucking Ashlynn amongst the sheets. 

Mindlessly brushing the back of her hand against her roommate's forehead–a purely instinctual action after raising eight young boys–Ashlynn’s skin was a bit warm to the touch. The conversations from earlier returned, causing Briar to frown as she rolled a strand of reddish hair through her fingers. Ash hadn’t wanted to leave her. She’d bloodied her own knuckles trying to punch through the barrier, despite what little she could’ve done. Briar had to commend Farrah for trying, but Ashlynn must’ve been resistant until either Briar woke up, or she fell asleep. 

Apparently the latter had won out. 

Guilt pulled at Briar’s heart. It wasn’t Ashlynn’s job to worry over her, especially when she was being reckless. Cursing herself in the dark, Briar sat at the bedside a moment longer, rubbing the bridge of her nose. 

“Briar…” The whisper of wind caused her eyes to snap open. Waiting for a moment to see if she was just imagining things, the call came again, distant and siren-like. “Briar. Follow me.” 

Puzzled, Briar stood and turned around, feeling something sharp and cold prickling at her shoulder blades. A purple light was cutting through the dark, seeping in through the window. Glancing at Ashlynn to make sure she was still asleep, Briar walked in nothing but her bare feet to the sill, her skin illuminated in bright aubergine glow. A small butterfly was floating outside the glass, something that very much didn’t belong. Pushing the window open to have a better look, the insect wasn’t even real. 

It was made of magic. 

Reaching towards it with a finger, the outline poofed into a cloud of smoke the moment she touched one of its wings. “What the…?” 

“Come to the tower.” 

Another butterfly appeared from the dark, this time a little further outside. Leaning over for a better look, Briar turned her head as the magic fluttered up the outside wall, leading her eye until it landed on the tower. It was part of the school made purely out of stone, jutting from one corner like it was added on later. Just an afterthought. No light came from the single solitary window besides a very faint purple flicker. “I need to talk to you.” 

Briar hesitated, glancing back inside the cozy warmth of the dorm. She’d already been reckless enough for today, nearly getting killed in the process. Her body hurt, her lungs hurt, she barely had the energy to pull Ashlynn from the chair. Yet the purple butterfly pulsed brightly in her eyes, coaxing her out. It wanted her to follow it. Not sure why the urge to play chase with a mysterious dark magic was so strong, Briar carefully crawled from the window, clinging to a parapet that jutted from the castle wall. It was narrow and treacherous, only a bit wider than one of her feet. But it went all the way to the base of the tower; straight as an arrow. 

The butterfly guided her way as Briar began the slow balancing act along Ever After’s exterior, careful not to stop in front of any dark windows she passed, lest her body cast shadows. The closer to the lonely tower she got, the more obvious the purple light inside became. Gasping and sweating by the time she actually made it to her destination–the walk felt like miles–she was disappointed to find no way to scale the flat stones up to the window. The butterfly continued on its way, floating up towards the single grated window and vanishing inside. For a moment, everything was silent. 

Until the vines started growing. 

Briar could hear them, slithering like snakes over the edge of the stone windowsill. Guess that was her cue. Grabbing onto one of the thickest branches, the wood was perfect for climbing, rough and strong. Having never thought she’d be the one to be scaling a tower to reach someone trapped inside, Briar almost laughed at the irony. Thankfully the window was set into the mortar, leaving her a little shelf perfect for sitting on. Perching in the shallow alcove with one shoulder pushed against an iron grate, Briar couldn’t help but admire the view. If anything, it was a spectacular way to see Ever After at night. 

“You’re either really brave, or really stupid.” 

Turning at the voice, it was the very same that had been whispering to her back in the dorm. Now it was real and solid as a pale face came to the window. Briar recognized her at once. “Raven?”  

“Not many princesses would go following a whisper of dark magic like that, let alone climb a tower at night to get there.” 

“Oh, you know. I’m always up for a challenge.” Briar managed a smile, puffing a bit of air from the long journey. “I really hope you didn’t just bring me here for the view, though. I’m beat.” 

Raven actually laughed a bit, something good natured and friendly. “No, I have my reasons. You clearly know who I am–who doesn’t, I guess–but I can’t say the same.” 

“Briar,” Briar introduced with a gasp. “Just Briar.” 

“You’re the legacy of Sleeping Beauty, right?” 

“That’s what they keep telling me.” 

“What you did today was really something, Briar. I didn’t think anyone could get Faybelle on the ground like that, let alone the princess of her own story.” 

“I’ve been in a few tight scrapes before.” Briar made herself more comfortable in the nook of the tower, wiping sweat off her brow. “What’s another one?”  

“You don’t seem too shaken at nearly dying.” 

“It’s only been two days and already this place is like walking a path covered in bear traps,” Briar scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I trust the Queen as far as I could throw her.” Raven smiled again, that weird, hopeful look in her bright purple eyes. “You were staring at me this morning. I wasn’t just imagining it?” 

“I heard what you said,” Raven admitted. “I…I didn’t think anyone else thought like that.” 

“Like what?” 

“Like this entire circus is a cruel mistake?” Raven scowled unhappily, waving her hand as another butterfly appeared from her finger, resting on the flat of her nail. “I never wanted this legacy, Briar. I mean, who wants to be the most hated of them all?” 

“I get that,” Briar agreed. “I don’t want to sleep for one-hundred-years.” 

“Why don’t you leave?” Raven nodded her head at the view, leaning on her side of the window irons. “Clearly you have no problems handling yourself. You got here, which means you can escape just as easily.” 

“It’s not that simple,” Briar sighed, rocking a foot mindlessly. “I had to make a better life for my brothers. The legacy request was the only way.” 

“The legacy request is blackmail, you do know that, right?” 

“I figured that out, yeah. I don’t trust the Queen, but I trust…” Briar paused, then clicked her mouth shut. She didn’t want to out Darling by mistake. 

“Who?” 

“I trust the Knight who brought me here,” Briar corrected, causing Raven’s brow to arch curiously. “So long as I stay and fulfill my legacy, my brothers will live the life they deserve.” 

“But what about you?” 

“I’ll sleep and wake up to a charming prince. I’ll have my happily ever after. Who wouldn’t want that?” 

“You,” Raven pointed out, folding her arms. “I knew I could trust you Briar. I just knew it.” 

“Trust me?” Briar fell her head in confusion, blinking as Raven vanished into the dark of her chambers. “Raven?” 

“One second.” There was the sound of rustling as Raven looked for something, a floorboard creaking as she pried it up. Upon returning, the girl thrust her arm through the grate, opening her palm to reveal a unique looking key. “Here, take this.” 

“What is it?” 

“It’s called a legacy key, it…it belonged to my mother. It’ll help you unlock the real Storybook of Legends.” 

Briar blinked, her jaw opening slightly in surprise. “What…in all of Ever After are you talking about?” 

“I…” Raven was cut off by rapidly approaching footsteps. She turned, a gasp escaping her throat. “Someone’s coming. Briar, please just…trust me, I’ll explain everything when I get the chance. Take this, keep it safe, and whatever you do, don’t tell anyone you have it. Ok?” 

There was an edge in Raven’s voice, a sharpness that made Briar’s chest squeeze. She took the key, swiping it from the girl’s pale hand. The door locks began to shift, scraping loudly as Raven exhaled, that hope once again illuminating your face. “Thank you, Briar. Now you have to get out of here or they’ll see you.” 

“But how?” 

“Like this.” 

Briar didn’t have time to react. There was a flash of bright purple light as she was physically shoved from the tower window. There wasn’t even enough time to scream as she plummeted, folding up her arms and bracing for impact with the ground. But, between one blink and the next, she had landed. No pain, no more broken bones, just her laying under the cover of a rather large bush. Pages, she hated magic. The voices from above echoed down to her, bouncing off the granite walls of the castle. 

“...what are you doing in here, witch?” 

“Practicing my evil deeds,” Raven answered, the flat insincerity of her words causing Briar to snort. “You’re interrupting me.” 

“The Queen ordered no magic after curfew.” 

“But it’s so boring in here. What else am I supposed to do?” 

“You can ask the Queen that yourself. Come with us.” 

Raven scoffed but didn’t fight. Briar stayed where she was until the silence of the night returned, heavy and dark. Opening her palm, the key was still there, pressing its cold pattern into her skin. But, as she held the trinket close, it began to shift before her eyes. The silver metal melted into bronze, while feather and claw motifs changed to become vines and roses. In a second, the key became a completely different shape, color, and type. 

Standing from the bush with a heavy and exhausted moan, Briar fiddled with the trinket as she walked down the lawn, hoping there was a way to climb back up to her dorm. But, as she approached, craning her neck to see the open window, her heart stalled in fear. 

Someone was waiting there. 

It was just the shadow of a person, sitting on the ledge which she had balanced across earlier. He was thin, with a wild head of hair and equally wild eyes. He stared down at her in the night, his face like that of an owl. A shiver tickled up Briar’s spine as he spoke to her. 

“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, trust in you, trust in us.” 

Briar had no idea what that meant; it wasn’t even a real sentence. But the stranger opened his palm, blowing something towards her. From the window appeared a paper crane, floating and flapping on an invisible breeze. Snatching the thing out of the air when it got close enough, Briar unfolded it, furrowing her brows. 

It was an entire page of gibberish. 

“What does this mean?” 

Glancing up for an answer, the strange man was gone, as though he was never there to start. Still staring at the paper in bewilderment, Briar nearly jumped out of her skin as someone yelled to her: 

“Who goes there!” 

Folding up the paper and shoving it down her shirt with the key safely inside, Briar turned in the grass, lifting an arm as the light of a lantern nearly blinded her. Thankfully, the silhouette was familiar to her. “Darling?” 

“Briar?” Darling lowered her light, pale face softening as she downed the sword held in her opposite hand. “What in Snow White’s name are you doing out here?” 

“I…um…I fell.” 

“You fell?” Darling’s brows popped up. “From where?” 

“I was sitting on the window sill. The night here is beautiful. But my curse is…” Briar made an undefined motion with her hands, pointing up at the window. “I woke up down here.” 

“Oh. Are you hurt?” 

“No, I don’t think so. The bush broke my fall.” 

Darling tilted her head, looking between the window and the ground, then scrutinizing her. Leaning forward she plucked a leaf from Briar’s curls, letting it fall to the ground. “You’re full of surprises, your majesty,” the knight chuffed, nodding back the way she’d come. “Let’s get you back inside. It’s cold out here and your friends are worried about you.” 

“My friends?” 

“Yes. Someone thought they spotted an intruder outside their window, then your roommate raised the alarm that you were missing. I offered to patrol this side of the castle.” 

Oops. Guess she wasn’t very good at being sneaky. “I didn’t mean to cause a fuss.” 

“It was an accident,” Darling assured, replacing her sword as she swung off her thick jacket, wrapping it about Briar’s shoulders. “Come,” she insisted, waving her delicate hand. “They’ll be happy to know you’re safe.” 

Safe. Briar pursed her lips, mindlessly rubbing her chest where Raven’s magic had made contact. She was starting to think there was no such thing. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten: Stepsisters & Swords

"Nightmares always whisper the loudest in the dark, especially to those who don't want to hear them."

Warning: This chapter discusses topics that may be sensitive to some readers including: description of panic attacks and domestic abuse. Please read at your own risk.

“Ashlynn I’m sorry, but your mother…she didn’t make it…” 

“Ashlynn, I’ve found another woman. She’s wonderful with two daughters just your age…” 

“Ashlynn, you’ll be sharing a room with your new stepsisters from now on…” 

“Ashlynn, I have to go away on business, do whatever your stepmother says…” 

“Ashlynn, don’t disrespect your mother. It’ll be better for you downstairs…” 

“Ashlynn, don’t forget to bring my coffee up…” 

“Ashlynn, make sure to clean the fireplace, it’s causing your stepsisters to sneeze…” 

Ashlynn. Ashlynn. Ashlynn. Do this, do that, clean this, bring that. Don’t disrespect your mother. Don’t disrespect your sisters. Do as you're told, Ashlynn, or there will be consequences. No more goodnight kisses or reading by the fireplace. No more hugs or games or smiles. It was just work and chores and pain and grief and loneliness. The cellar was cold at night, even with the fire going. Her lungs tasted like soot and her eyes watered from the smoke. Every bone felt broken, every wound burned, and her stomach twisted in hunger. All the while father—with his new family—laughed and played music in the parlor without her. 

“Daddy, I don’t understand..."  

“I’m happy Ashlynn. Can’t you just let me be happy?” 

Ashlynn wanted her father to be happy. She did with all her heart. But how did she end up here, once sitting upon his knee—his most precious thing—to laying on the stones in the ashes? How had it gotten so bad? How had she let it? Ashlynn. Ashlynn. Ashlynn. Don’t stop working Ashlynn or father will hate you. Don’t stop serving or stepmother will beat you. Don’t compete with your stepsisters or they’ll abuse you. Keep your head down, do the work, and everything will be fine. 

Just clean, Ashlynn. Don’t stop cleaning. 

“Ashlynn?” 

Ashlynn gasped from the nightmare, heaving for breath as her chest shuttered up and down with horrible, aching tears. Her hands were shaking, sharp knuckles protruding from under sooty bandages. Her eyes felt raw and her body was tense, wound up so tight it was ready to pop at any moment. Nightmare. It was a nightmare. “Ash?” 

Ashlynn couldn’t find any words. She had to fight to keep the air down, grabbing at her throat with one hand. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t breathe. Feeling someone join her on the bed, Ashlynn couldn’t see clearly, but she felt her roommate's presence. Briar placed one firm hand on her shoulder, calloused yet tender, while holding the other on her chest, pressing it firmly against her collarbones. “Breathe. Deep and slow. In through the nose and out through the mouth.”

“C-can’t. I can’t…”

“Just focus on me,” Briar jabbed her nail into Ashlynn’s skin, not hard enough to bleed, but enough for a small bit of pain to cut through the haze. “Breathe.” 

Ashlynn felt helpless, grabbing onto Briar’s arm and clinging to it as she struggled to crawl back from her whirlwind. Her companion was solid and unmoving, a rock in the storm as her heart finally began to settle and she could think clearly again. Briar—for the first time since meeting her—looked alarmed. There was a distinct crease in her scarred brow, one that Ashlynn had never seen before. Meeting her bright carnelian eyes, bruised from lack of sleep and red ringed with exhaustion, guilt wiggled its way into Ashlynn’s thoughts. She woke Briar up. 

“Don’t,” Briar told her instantly. “You didn’t wake me up.” 

“B-but I…” 

“Just relax and think about yourself for a second. Don't worry about anything else but catching your breath. You’re the color of a sheet.” 

Ashlynn swallowed, opening her lips to protest. But Briar gave her a very stern look in return, one that warned her not to argue. And, seeing as her roommate was a head taller than her and could snap her like a twig if she wanted, Ash relented. Thoroughly beat for the moment, she continued to inhale and exhale, unlatching her claws from around Briar’s arm where she’d left crescent moon indents. Raising a hand to wipe her eyes, her cheeks were soaked and raw. Outside the dorm window, the sun was just beginning to rise, breaking over the horizon in a faint pink hue. 

“You’re alright,” Briar mumbled, cautiously removing her hand from Ashlynn’s chest and sitting back amongst the blankets. It left her feeling empty, but she was too afraid to say so. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Ashlynn really didn’t want to talk about it. Home felt so far away now. If she stood at the window and stared long enough, she could probably see the very peak of the roof, just out of reach and barely a home at all compared to a prison. How had everything gone so wrong? 

“I don’t want this,” she managed, barely able to find the air to speak out loud. She felt drained, pulling both knees to her chest. They were badly scarred under her nightdress, forever ground with soot and dirt. “I don’t want this legacy, Briar. Why me?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“My family was everything." Ashlynn desperately clutched at her strawberry curls, feeling the tug at her scalp. She’d pulled her own hair out before on nights like these, when the sky was too dark, and her thoughts were too rampant. “B-but they…I…I’m just a slave to them. To my own father who loves my stepmother more than he loves me. I don’t understand.” 

“The world is a cruel place,” Briar agreed, gently pulling Ashlynn’s hands away from her head and holding them in hers. “You don’t have to keep it in. It’s not healthy.” 

Ashlynn whimpered, another tear escaping the corner of her eye as she inhaled and exhaled through a runny nose. “Father told me to be kind. I have to do as he says. Be kind, Ashlynn. Be good, Ashlynn. Be obedient, Ashlynn. I’m a horrible daughter if I can’t be any of them.” 

“You can’t do those things to your own detriment. It’s impossible.” Briar told her, gently intertwining their fingers to help stop the shaking. “You can be kind and good without being a servant to someone else.” 

“But stepmother will…” Ashlynn cut herself off, eyes widening when she realized what was about to come out of her mouth. She had been sworn to secrecy forever after ago, threatened with an even worse punishment if she ever spoke about it out loud to anyone. Briar was too sharp not to notice, suddenly bristling to alertness.

“She’ll what?” 

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” 

“Ash… ” 

“She just…hits me a little, when I’m not doing what I’m told.” Briar was very still, the intensity of her gaze like that of a hunting predator. The look made Ashlynn shiver as she ducked her head. “I-it’s not bad, really. It’s my fault for upsetting her.” 

Briar said nothing. Her eyes darkened and her lip twitched, something electric practically jumping from one shoulder to the other. Anger. No, not just anger. Rage. 

“No one will hurt you here. Not if I have anything to say about it." Briar said finally, shaking her head and pushing the emotions right off her face as though they'd never been there. But Ash could still feel it, burning just shy of the surface. Though she had only seen kindness from her roommate over the past few days, Ashlynn was coming to understand how lucky she was to be in Briar’s good graces. The daughter of roses lasted years in the enchanted wastes alone; a place that was rumored to be nearly desolate of life. She faced down her own villain in a fight and came out on top, her own injuries aside, of course. And now, here in the quiet of their dorm, Ash could see the temper which lurked just under Briar’s skin, blistering and ruthless. Ashlynn knew with certainty that she would be a very dangerous enemy to keep, and she prayed for whoever was already on that unfortunate list of names. “Ash?” 

“Huh?” Torn from her wandering thoughts, Briar’s brow was scrunched up, meaning she’d just asked a question and was expecting an answer. “Sorry, I was…never mind. What did you say”? 

“I asked if you were feeling ok. You had that look on your face.” 

“Look?” Ash blinked, trying to force her expression into something more natural. “What look?” 

“The one where you’re clearly a million miles away?” Briar sat back; all of her prior rage seemingly forgotten. At least it was forgotten for the moment. “What’s on your mind?” 

“Nothing. Well…not nothing, nothing, but…” Ashlynn paused her rambling, pressing the heel of her palm into the front of her forehead. Crying always gave her a headache. “I was thinking about you.”

Briar clearly wasn’t expecting that answer as her body tensed up. “Me? Why?” 

“You’re just so kind to me, even if I’m not very brave or strong. To everyone else, you’re a bit…um…” 

“Prickly?” Briar offered as Ashlynn failed to hold in her slight bubble of laughter. 

“Yes. But you’re never that way towards me. Why is that?” 

“Oh, uh,” the daughter of roses glanced around for a moment, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly. Clearly, having the conversation shifted to suddenly be about her was enough to catch her off guard. Seeing someone as stony as Briar suddenly flustered was incredibly charming. A reminder that she was just a teenager too, only a few months Ashlynn's senior. She waited patiently for Briar to answer, leaning over her knees as her roommate fought with her own thoughts. Eventually the girl heaved a sigh, either not finding the answer she was looking for, or not having any other answer to give but the one she had. “Do you really want to know?” 

“If you don’t mind.” 

“I just…you remind me of my brothers, that’s all.” 

Ash straightened up. “Really?” 

“Yeah. Guess I’m just used to having someone to look after, you know? I practically raised them myself after mom…well, left.” Briar sniffed, something sharp and pain filled. There were no tears from her, but her eyes took on that familiar glassy sheen that threatened it. “You remind me of them. So sweet despite how awful the world is.” 

“You miss them, huh?” Ash wondered, scooting a bit closer to her roommate on the mattress. 

“I do. I remember feeding Honor from a bottle; he’s six now.” Briar smiled, and not her usual terse, bitter smile, but something sincere and true. It made her look ten years younger, easing the wrinkles permanently etched into her sun kissed face. “And Tenacity, he’s practically a teenager himself. He’ll be thirteen in a few months.” 

“A young man,” Ashlynn agreed, furrowing her eyebrows at her roommate. “Thanks for being here, Briar. I…well, haven’t had someone care in…I don’t even know how long.” 

“Of course. I understand struggling to sleep, the nightmares, all of that.” 

“Did I wake you up with that nightmare?” 

“No.” 

“Of course not. Do you ever actually manage to sleep?” 

“I don’t think anyone here does,” Briar chuckled, nodding her head at the door. A shadow was bobbing under the crack, pacing nervously back and forth just outside. “Farrah. She was here the second you needed her. I had to chase her out.” 

Ashlynn felt a heat burn to life in her cheeks at the thought, coughing awkwardly as she pushed a curl of hair out of her face. “Oh. How long has she been standing out there for?” 

“A while. I told her to wait outside,” Briar smiled, glancing at where the sun was now piercing through the window pane. “Guess it’s not really worth it to go back to sleep, huh?” 

“No,” Ashlynn frowned, grimacing as her stomach grumbled. She hadn’t eaten since yesterday afternoon, too nervous about what happened at the assembly to keep anything down. “Do you think it’s too early for breakfast?” 

Briar seemed to think about it before shrugging. “I could go for some food,” she agreed, glancing towards the door as Farrah knocked, the rhythm fast and nervous. Briar rolled her eyes. “We should probably bring Farrah along. She’s already annoyed that I kicked her out. Who knows what she’ll do if I make her wait anymore.” 

Ashlynn laughed, trying and failing to keep the noise behind her hand. “But Farrah’s always smiling, and she’s so friendly.” 

Briar wrinkled her nose as Ash giggled again, endeared by the idea of Briar being afraid of someone as sweet as Farrah. “You say that now,” the girl accused as Ash walked to the door to let her future fairy godmother in. “She certainly wasn’t smiling while she threatened to turn me into a pumpkin.” 

Ashlynn was used to being up with the sun. Back home, it was her job to make breakfast for her family, needing to be right on time lest anything go cold or stale before the others woke up. She would make bacon and eggs, toast bread before coating it in cinnamon, and roll pastries over fresh fruit, all while drizzling them in honey and powdered sugar. Breakfast time was one of the busiest for her, and rarely did she have time to actually sit and eat for herself before beginning the day’s chores. 

Keeping close to Farrah and Briar as they walked downstairs together, the Castleteria was mostly empty. Not many early risers at Ever After, she supposed, seeing as so few of them managed to get any sleep. The room was vast and echoing, made of polished white marble and held aloft by grand columns. Tables sat waiting in neat rows, with barely any other students to be seen. The only person Ash could find besides themselves was Cerise, who sat at a table in the furthest corner of the room, her hood pulled down over her eyes. Breakfast service was magically charged, meaning there was food waiting for them with not a cook to be seen. But with so little choice in what she had to eat at home, Ashlynn’s heart skipped a beat at how much was actually prepared. 

“What a fableous spread,” Farrah chirped as they approached. “So much to choose from.” 

“Almost too much,” Ash whined, turning to address Briar, only to realize she wasn’t with them. Pivoting around in confusion, her roommate had collapsed at one of the tables, pale as smoke and dead to the world. It was still alarming whenever her friend literally dropped dead. But enchanted sleep came when it pleased, wherever it pleased. “Thank goodness she managed to reach a bench this time,” Ash sighed. “I have to have the most danger-pone roommate in all of Ever After.” 

“Seems like danger finds her, not the other way around,” Farrah replied, picking up a napkin and waving her hand over it. In a flash the small linen became a cotton blanket, fuzzy and warm to the touch. “Here. Go sit and I’ll handle breakfast for the three of us.” 

“Are you sure?” Ashlynn accepted the token, gently folding it over her arm. “Farrah, I can help with the plates. I don't mind." 

“No, no, I’ve got this handled. Go sit, I’ll be right back.” 

“If you’re sure." Ashlynn hesitated, not wanting to leave Farrah with all the work. But she eventually wandered back to where Briar had collapsed, gently tossing the blanket over her roommates' shoulders. Sitting down to wait, Ash mindlessly watched more tired students filter in, yawning and on the hunt for breakfast. But, at the very far end of the room, another magical barrier had been cast. Beyond it was a smaller section of the Castleteria with its own door, a trickle of villain-touched legacies beginning to wander in as well. It didn’t seem like the choices were as good on that side of the room, a troll-woman in a bonnet and apron dishing something from a rather large pot. Not paying much attention, a familiar shrieking voice grated against her ear:

“Ashlynn!” 

Two unpleasant faces waited by the barrier, one tall, one short, both equally ugly with their mean sneers and narrowed eyes. There was a familiar tug inside Ash's stomach, like she was being summoned at their call. Trying her best to remain where she was, clinging to the table with her nails, Ashlynn just couldn’t stop herself. She stood, walking towards the villain side of the hall where her stepsisters waited. “Hi guys,” she greeted, stopping a few feet away. “What do you need?” 

“Better options is what we need,” Prudence spat through her gaudy purple lipstick. “This breakfast is awful.” 

“I…wish I could help you…” Ashlynn drawled, only to be stopped by Charlotte who wheezed loudly. 

“You have good food over there. Get us some.” 

“I can’t, the barrier…” 

“Get us food and crawl through an outside window or something,” Prudence said, waving her hand in annoyance. “Just get us something else.” 

Ashlynn frowned, knowing fully well there wasn’t a way to reach the Castleteria’s windows without a decent amount of climbing. But that magic pull was there again, kicking her to do as she was told. 

“Don’t just stand there sniveling, you useless little weasel,” Charlotte barked, pointing a stout hand towards where breakfast was being served. “Do as you’re told, or we’ll tell mother on you.” 

Ashlynn felt her body stiffen at the threat, but her feet remained exactly where they were. The orders were conflicting with the ‘how’, meaning two sides were battling in her mind. She supposed she could climb onto the roof to look for a way to the other side of the barrier, but that could get her killed. 

“Are you stupid, girl?” 

“Maybe she has soot stuck in her ears from all those fireplaces she’s been cleaning.” 

Her stepsisters laughed as something angry burned at the base of her heart. She wanted to walk away from them; she didn’t want this legacy. But the pull was still so strong. Strong enough that she would eventually end up hurting herself just to make it stop. Ashlynn squeezed her eyes shut, bringing a hand to her aching temple. Get them better food. Deliver it personally. Make it stop! 

“Hey, you have your own food.” Blinking from her quickly spiraling thoughts, Ashlynn lifted her head at the voice which spoke up for her. He was tall and bronzy, with dark brown hair combed to one side. His brown eyes were equally dark, ringed in hazel as he faced the barrier without fear. There was a ruggedness about him as he folded his arms across his chest. “Go bother someone else.” 

“Who are you to tell us what to do?” Prudence snorted, hitting her sister’s shoulder as they both laughed again. 

“Yeah. You’re on the wrong side of the barrier anyway, Huntsman,” Charlotte pointed out. “You’re a nobody.” 

“I said leave her alone,” the boy insisted again, taking a step closer. Prudence and Charlotte didn’t seem moved, but as they glanced just over Ashlynn’s shoulder, their faces dropped. 

“Do we have a problem here?” Briar appeared like a shadow between Ashlynn and her mysterious stranger, both hands on her hips as she glared across the barrier. “If you have something to say to my roommate, I’d love to hear it.” 

“Uh, no. It was nothing…” 

“Yeah, just checking up on her. We didn’t need anything, right Prudence?” 

“Right Charlotte.” 

“Good. Now get lost.” The two girls scattered at Briar's order, one in one direction, one in the other. Ashlynn sighed as the twist of need in her chest released itself; she was no longer obligated to serve. “Who are you?” Briar straightened herself, glowering down at the boy who was now very stiff. 

“He was helping, Briar,” Ash insisted, batting her friend’s arm. “He’s friendly.” 

“Uh, Hunter,” he sputtered, flexing his fists under Briar’s intense scrutiny and irritation. “I’m Hunter…Huntsman, you know, the Huntsman?” 

“I appreciate you standing up for me, Hunter,” Ash told him, wrapping both hands around Briar’s elbow to keep her from doing something impulsive. “Thank you.” 

“Yeah, any time. Uh…?” 

“Ashlynn,” she introduced. “And this is Briar, my roommate.” 

“It’s uh, cool to meet you both." Hunter smiled crookedly, rubbing the back of his neck. But the awkwardness changed as there was a high-pitched snort from the other side of the barrier. 

“Well, well, look who it is. Our little hero princess, always there to save the day.” 

Ashlynn blinked as Briar grabbed her by the upper arm, using a leg to push her backwards and away from the villain's side of the room. Hunter took a wide step back as well, his face suddenly slack. Faybelle Thorn was approaching from a throng of incoming students, her arms coated in silver up to her elbows and a murderous look in her slate gray eyes. 

“Briar, come on,” Ash insisted desperately, not wanting to have another confrontation with the dark fairy if necessary. “This isn’t a good idea.” 

“You should listen to your little duckling, princess,” the fae scoffed, placing both hands on her hips and tilting her nose in defiance. “I was expecting more damage, but I guess you got the royal treatment after our little squabble.” 

“I see you didn’t,” Briar replied flatly, making a show of looking Faybelle up and down in a single wide sweep. “How’s that wing?”

Faybelle sneered, the appendage in question batting a few times in annoyance before stopping. The left one had a ragged hole in the tissue, stringy like torn silk but also faintly red with pain. “You should’ve killed me when you had the chance,” Faybelle continued, “now, it’ll be me keeping you up at night.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. You failed as a dark fairy all on your own, it’s not my fault you’re a pathetic excuse for a legacy.” 

“How dare you!” Faybelle stepped closer to the wall, faintly blurred by the sheen of pinkish magic. “When we meet again, you can forget about sleep, your highness. You’ll be dead.” 

“That’s what you said yesterday, yet you were the one under my boot, not the other way around.” 

“You’ve got a lot of nerve for someone named Rose,” Faybelle hissed, her eyes glowing an enraged shade of blue. “I thought Sleeping Beauty was supposed to be delicate.” 

“It’s Briar. And I already told you, I’m no princess. So unless you plan on getting better at being a dark fairy, you’re as scary to me as a dust bunny.” 

“That’s it! You’re finished.” 

Faybelle lifted her arms, her eyes shimmering a fantastic shade of electric turquoise. But there was no explosion of brambles, no spark, not even a flash of light. The silver on her hands sparked, keeping the magic from escaping. 

“What’s going on here!” 

Glancing away from Faybelle’s pathetic display of magic, Darling marched up to them, sword brandished and in hand. Apple was following close behind, though kept her a respectable distance away from the villain's side of the room. “Why are any of you near the barrier?” 

“Oh stick a thorn in it, sweet pea,” Faybelle hissed, only to gasp as a sword was pointed directly at her throat. The blade cut through the magical wall like butter, resulting in a close shave with a sparkling steel edge. 

“Get back to your table, Faybelle, or that silver is never coming off your hands,” Darling warned, tilting her sword. “Go.” 

Faybelle wrinked her face but backed up a few steps, casting one last glare at Briar before turning and crossing the room, vanishing into a dark corner. Darling then turned to Briar, sheathing her sword with a flourish and a scowl. “Haven’t you gotten in enough trouble already?” 

Briar scowled back. “I’m not doing it on purpose.” 

“Keep your distance, Briar. Faybelle almost killed you once, we don’t need a repeat performance.” 

“Noted.” Briar gave a little salute, stepping aside to allow Ashlynn to step out from behind her back. Darling Charming was someone Ash had only seen at a glance, beautiful, tall, pale like the moon with brilliant white hair. She and Apple made a picture perfect couple. 

“Forgive me for the violence,” Darling apologized, taking Ashlynn’s hand and kissing the knuckles. “I am Darling Charming, keeper of the peace here amongst the students.” 

“So I gathered,” Ash drawled. “Not many can keep someone like Briar in check.” 

Briar barked in offense. “Hey! She started it.” 

“And I ended it,” Darling cut her off, wagging a warning finger. “I’m telling you Briar Rose, stay away from Faybelle. Now, come, show me where you’re all sitting.” 

Ashlynn led the way back to their chosen place, waving goodbye to Hunter who looked a bit disheartened, but way more confused as to what just happened. Farrah was waiting for them, giving Darling a very quick bow in greeting. As they all sat down–with Darling choosing to remain standing with a hand on her sword–a side door swung open, allowing a group of brightly colored faces to enter. Not recognizing any of them, Ashlynn tilted her head curiously. “Who are they?” 

“Wonderlandians,” Farrah whispered to her. “Not from Ever After.” 

“What are they doing here?” 

“Exchange program,” Apple pitched in, taking a bite of her fruit salad, “Wonderlandians have legacies in the Storybook too, so it’s only natural they come here to study.”

As the new student’s chatter floated over their heads, it didn’t sound like much of anything. Just a bunch of gibberish sentences and phrases that didn’t connect or make any sense. Briar shifted to get a better look, her red eyes suddenly alight with curiosity. “What are they speaking?” 

“Riddlish,” Darling offered. “The native tongue of Wonderland. There’s Madeline Hatter, Kitty Cheshire, and Elizabeth Hearts, the legacies of the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, and Red Queen respectively.” 

“What’s the legacy for the Queen of Hearts doing this side of the barrier?” Farrah wondered. “Isn’t she a villain?” 

“Technically yes, but the rules are different in Wonderland. Only the Red Queen has power there; they can’t be separated or it would break the agreement. And well…” Darling made a cutting motion across her throat as the entire table cringed, falling into comfortable silence. Finishing up breakfast with great company, Briar was the only one with her head in the clouds. 

“Briar?” Ash whispered, nudging her friend. “Is something wrong?” 

“No,” the legacy of sleeping beauty shook her head, her eyes still on where the Wonderlandian students now sat. “Just thinking.” 

Curious as to what had her roommate so distracted, Ashlynn glanced at Farrah for answers, who merely shrugged. Oh well, she thought. Briar would hopefully share what was on her mind…eventually. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven: The Red Queen’s Favor

“Fear hath no name, here. Yet the Red Queen’s court still bleeds crimson and gold.” 

Princessology 101 

Chemythstry 

Geografairy  

Kingdom Management  

Mythmatics 

Briar didn’t know how she was going to survive. Having never stepped foot in a classroom before, it was all a bit overwhelming, if not completely useless in her mind. She’d lived in the enchanted wastes her entire life, so learning to read and write wasn’t ever a necessity. Mother taught her a little before she died; Briar had some ability to read, spell, and scribble her name on a piece of paper. But anything besides that just wasn’t needed. 

Time was far better spent learning practical lessons that staved off death. How to hunt and kill prey, for example. Or gutting, skinning, and preparing meat to cook and store for later. Briar remembered carving and threading her first bow when she was only ten years old, and from her father she learned how to navigate through brambles, stitch wounds, clean wild water, and start a fire. These were all things necessary for surviving in a place so void of life. 

Briar didn’t even think about how much knowledge she was missing until she cracked open a book and stared at it. It was just a blur of text, flipping backwards and forwards again every time she blinked. The books with numbers in them were even worse. Briar could count, but only to a certain point, and not when a bunch of letters and symbols were thrown into the mix.

What in all of Ever After was she meant to do with any of this? 

Even the practical classes were stupid: waving, dressing well, presenting at dinners or royal events? She supposed Kingdom Management was important for the few who actually cared about becoming royalty—someone like Apple, who naturally thrived in this environment—but Briar felt horribly out of place in the mess. By the time the day was over her head was spinning, packed full of completely useless blabber.  

“Hey.” 

Briar glanced up from where she leaned over an open hextbook, massaging her temples which throbbed painfully against her fingers. Rosabella was standing across from her, seeming a bit nervous as she shuffled in her furry boots. 

“Hey,” Briar tilted her head, rolling her nails over the book still set before her. “What’s up?” 

“I…think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday,” the girl said, her lips tugging into a faint frown. “I meant to come talk to you earlier, but then everything went down and I just never got the chance.” 

“I’ve been told by multiple people that I’m prickly,” Briar drawled, blowing a loose strand of hair from her eyes. “That might have something to do with it.” 

“Maybe,” Rosabella chuckled, though it still seemed like she had something sitting on the end of her tongue. Briar arched a brow at her, leaning on an open hand. 

“Spit it out or you’ll choke on it.” 

“Sorry,” Rosabella’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I’m just not sure how to put this that doesn’t come off wrong.” 

“Try me.” 

“Well, I’m in a few of your classes and I noticed you look at the hextbook as though it cursed your whole family. Is something wrong with it?” 

“With the book? No,” Briar said, lifting her elbow to close the cover of the big red one they just used for Mythmatics. “Just wrong with me, I guess.” 

“Oh. Is it too difficult?” 

“I wouldn’t know. I can’t actually…you know…read it.” 

Rosabella paused for a moment, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Briar watched her process the information, taking it all in before a crease appeared in her forehead. “You can’t read?” 

“I can read a little,” Briar corrected. “I’m just…slow, and none of it makes sense. Mother taught me what was needed, but she died when I was seven.” 

“That does make things a little more difficult, doesn’t it.” 

“Just a bit,” Briar confirmed, rubbing the place between her eyes. “This is torture.” 

“Well, I could help, if you want,” Rosabella offered, rocking on her boots. “Like I said, I think we got off on the wrong foot. A bit of tutoring will help keep you from falling behind. It might also help us get to know each other better. We are cousins , technically. You know, family?” 

“I…” furrowing her brows, Briar cut off her immediate dismissal of the offer. Rosabella was being nice, she didn’t have to be a prickle bush in return. Briar wasn’t used to being surrounded by others her own age, let alone anyone who actually wanted to help her. She’d never had to rely on anyone else before, just her brothers, who she carried on her shoulders until they were old enough to fend for themselves, and her father, who wasn’t present most (if not all) the time. When was the last time she actually asked for help with anything? Probably never…or at least not since after mom died. “I think that would be…fine. Thank you, Rosabella.” 

Rosabella beamed, her brown eyes sparking with something Briar didn’t really know how to describe. Perhaps it was pride? Joy? Validation? Rosabella didn’t walk around with many friends, at least not that Briar had noticed. She didn’t even realize her cousin was in the same class till just now, let alone several of them. 

“Do you want to go get something to eat?” Rosabella offered, nodding to the door. “I’m starving.” 

Briar gave a simple nod, packing her things into the ratty bag Ashlynn let her borrow. Following her cousin out into the hallway, it was bustling with students excited to be free for the afternoon. They didn’t get far before someone intercepted them. 

“Briar! Rosabella!” Apple closed her locker with an inelegant BANG, causing those around her to jump. Darling cringed at the noise but didn’t flinch, leaving the place where she was leaning to follow her girlfriend across the hall. Apple was practically glowing, her smile so bright it invaded her eyes. “Well, well, look who’s finally getting along. But I suppose it’s only natural. You are cousins, after all?” 

“I think we’ve got the familial part down by now, thank you, Apple,” Briar drawled, receiving a girlish pout as the legacy of Snow White gently batted her with the back of a hand. 

“Still haven’t lost your edges, I see. You don’t have to be so sharp, Briar. Just relax, this is Ever After.” 

That was not something that made Briar feel any better. But Apple, with her endless well of conversation, continued on without issue. Her pretty face scrunched up as she made a ticking noise against her teeth. “Is that the same dress as yesterday?” 

“Yeah?” Briar glanced down at herself with a frown. She’d borrowed a needle and thread from Ashlynn, mending what rips and tears she could find, but the fabric was still tattered. “I don’t exactly have anything else.” 

“You didn’t bring anything with you?” Rosabella asked, her eyes widening behind her lenses as Briar scowled, not wanting to answer this question yet again. Thankfully Darling picked up on her annoyance. 

“The bramble woods isn’t the sort of place where you keep things,” she explained, before quickly correcting herself. “Or…uh, so I’ve heard.” 

“You can borrow some of mine,” Rosabella offered. “We are about the same size.” 

“No! Absolutely not,” Apple insisted, clasping her hands with a grin. “I need a new project for my fashion design class. A wardrobe is a fableous idea for that.” 

Briar held in a moan of annoyance, dropping out of the conversation as Apple and Rosabella began to discuss fabrics and color choice. Darling seemed interested enough, though she didn’t contribute. Despite the popularity of the hall, crowds of students milling about, chatting, creating a dull roar of noise in her ears, Briar saw something flicker out of the corner of her eye. A shadow was bobbing and weaving through the crowd, far faster than it should’ve. 

Briar saw the flash of silver just in time to react. 

She jerked, suddenly on high alert as a hooded figure in a dark indigo cloak took a swipe at her, the sharp end of a blade just missing her neck. The attacker was relentless and fast, wielding the blade elegantly as Briar was forced backwards, ducking and floundering to avoid getting cut. All the while she struggled to see a face, the strangers hood purposefully deep to keep their identity a secret. Hitting the corner of the metal lockers and with nowhere else to go, Briar hissed as the knife slashed across her upper arm, deep and hot. 

Grabbing the wound with a hand, there was a distinctly feminine chuckle under the hood. Thankfully, before any more damage could be done, the assassin was forced to duck as the edge of a glistening sword swiped over their head. 

“Stop! In the name of the Queen!” Darling ordered, forcing the assassin into a retreat as she took another jab. Surrounded and outnumbered, the stranger growled, practically leaping over Darling’s head and sprinting in the other direction. 

“Briar, don’t..!” 

Darling’s order fell on deaf ears. Still holding her arm as it bled, Briar took off after her own attacker, snaking through the confused crowd of other legacies. Narrowing her eyes to not lose the billowing fabric of the hood, the chase lasted several minutes, twisting and turning through the school. This resulted in Briar following the assassin into a dim, empty hall. At the end, a magical barrier waited. Clearly, she’d made it all the way to the other side of the castle, where the villain-touched were having classes. 

But, where she thought the assassin would just hit the wall, Briar was forced into a skid as the stranger passed straight through it, as though it wasn’t even there. Ramming the magic with her shoulder, the assassin laughed, ducking around the corner and vanishing. From under her cloak flew a single white feather, fluttering down to land just north of the barrier. 

“Curses,” Briar hissed, unable to continue the pursuit. Sweating and heaving for breath, she wandered away from the barrier before collapsing against the nearest wall, her vision a swim of color. Peeling her hand from the new wound, it didn’t look good. But it wasn’t the blood that caught Briar’s eye. There was a faint blue tint to the edges of the gash, dark and spreading out in branch-like patterns. Poison? 

“Briar!” 

The clatter of Darling’s sword was obvious enough as she skidded on her knees to Briar’s side. “What happened? Where’s the assassin?” 

“…went through the barrier…” 

“What?” Darling’s brows furrowed, but she didn’t continue her line of questioning, grabbing onto Briar’s arm instead and looking at the cut. She blanched, somehow even paler than usual as she began to remove things from her belt. “A poisoned blade? You’re just a magnet for trouble, aren’t you?” 

Briar chuffed but said nothing, unable to speak through the gasping in her chest. Her arm felt like it was on fire, yet she couldn’t feel the tips of her fingers. 

“…Darling?” 

Glancing towards the villain's end of the hall, three faces had stopped in the middle of it. The Wonderlandians stepped up to the magical barrier before passing through it, unhindered by the blockade which was all but solid to anyone else. 

“She’s been poisoned,” Darling explained in a single breath, hurriedly dabbing things onto small cotton patches as she cleaned the wound, causing Briar to wince and moan in pain. “It’s moving too quickly.” 

The legacy of the Red Queen looked between her two friends, hurriedly motioning something with her hands but not speaking aloud. It was the shortest of them, Madeline, who spoke for her. 

“High tea and biscuits! You’re right. Lizzie says she might have something that can help.” 

“Whatever you have, please do it fast,” Darling urged, gripping Briar’s arm to try and quell the blood flow. Elizabeth Hearts was a lithe, willowy figure with crystalline blue eyes and hair of black and red that fell in curled tendrils. Her face was severe and barely flickered as she sat down on the ground beside Darling, opening a satchel tied at her waist. Briar thought she was hallucinating when she saw the girl's entire arm vanish inside before reappearing with a vial. The purple haired wonderlandian, Kitty, grinned ear to ear as a long tail swished around her ankles, hazy like a billow of smoke. 

“Bandersnatch saliva can cure anything,” she drawled out, her tone almost dreamy, but her chuckle starling, like nails on a chalkboard. “But dear or dear, it won’t be pleasant for you.” 

“Just do what you can, Lizzie,” Darling urged. “We may not have a lot of time.”

The legacy of the Red Queen nodded, roughly grabbing onto Briar’s arm. She pulled it towards her, crushing the vial in her opposite hand as the viscous liquid dripped from between her closed fingers and onto the open gash. The pain was indescribable. Briar had experienced a lot of things in the wastes: cuts and bruises, broken bones, burns, twists, and fevers. But it was nothing like this. Nothing like the feeling of something slithering around inside her blood, turning the burning fire of the assassin’s poison into freezing ice. 

It was purely instinctual to thrash, but Lizzie’s strong arm slammed Briar against the wall, a silent death glare warning her not to move. Slowly but surely the blue tint which had been spreading up her arm began to fade, and feeling returned to the limb like a thousand pins sticking her skin. Focusing on regaining her breath and not passing out, Darling wrapped the gash with bandages from her belt. “Briar?” She asked, giving her a shake. “Hey, are you ok?” 

“…that…was horrible…” 

“Boy golly, you’re one tough cookie, going through that without missing a wink,” Madeline stated, leaning forward on her knees. 

“It’s too bad though,” Kitty pointed out. “You now have a favor on your head.” 

“A what?” Briar rubbed her collar with her unwounded arm, glancing down at Lizzie who was staring very intently at her. 

“A favor,” Darling explained, sitting back with an exhausted sigh. “In Wonderland, a one sided exchange always results in a debt being created. You owe her a favor.” 

“Oh. What uh…what kind of favor?” 

Lizzie’s lips curled at the edges, the smile not at all comforting as she said something with her hand signs. 

“Lizzie says she’ll think about it,” Maddie translated, clapping excitedly. “I wonder what it could be.” 

“There will be no head-chopping or heart stealing here at Ever After, your highness,” Darling warned as Lizzie rolled her eyes, though her face contorted into a slight pout. The girl gave another brief sign, causing Kitty to chuckle with a fanged grin and Maddie to gasp. 

“Lizzie! That’s not a nice thing to say to our new friends.” 

Darling just wrinkled her face at whatever was said, rising to her feet as she grabbed onto Briar’s good arm, pulling her up from the wall. “How do you feel?” 

“Do I have to dignify that with an answer?” 

“You’re the one who chased after an armed assassin. So you tell me.” 

Huffing in annoyance and leaning on Darling’s shoulder for balance, Lizzie was still staring at her, blue eyes huge and openly curious. The wonderlandian girl stepped forward, standing on her toes to place a kiss right on Briar’s cheekbone. Startled, she reeled back in confusion, but the future Red Queen took her face in one hand, sharp nails ghosting against her skin. Lizzie continued to stare for a while before something crossed her face and she visibly relaxed. Humming a bit in her throat (the first sound Briar had heard from her) she stepped back, walking off without a word. 

“Ooh, Lizzie likes you,” Maddie chirped. “You’re a lucky duck!” 

No one gave an explanation as the three Wonderlandians made their exit, heading back down the hall and around the corner towards the Castleteria. Briar stared in their wake, lifting a hand to feel the smudge of red lipstick left on her face. “Darling, I think I’m hallucinating.” 

“Not hallucinating,” the knight confirmed with a faint laugh. “You just received a token from the future Red Queen. Consider that a great honor.” 

“Huh?”

“Lizzie favors you, Briar. And in Wonderland, if the Queen likes you, the Court of Cards likes you. Which means you are a friend to Wonderland and get to keep your head. When I say it’s an honor, I mean it. Lizzie isn’t someone you want to make enemies with.” 

“Oh. So do they just go around kissing people in Wonderland?”  

“Well, er…no, not exactly. I have no idea why she did that. But it can be a bit difficult to understand Wonderlandians sometimes.” 

“A bit?” Briar gave Darling an annoyed shove, taking her own weight cautiously as she rolled her shoulders. “You’re absolutely no help.”  

“Maybe if you stopped throwing yourself into bad situations these things wouldn’t happen to you,” Darling offered, resting a hand on her sword as Briar scowled at her. “Shall we? I’m pretty sure Apple’s up in arms by now. If we don’t make an appearance soon, she’ll send the army.” 

Briar didn’t doubt that as she fell into step beside the White Knight, gently rubbing the lipstick off her face with a palm. 

“So, what do you think this favor is going to be?” She wondered, rubbing the pigment between her thumb and forefinger. “It’s not anything… weird, right?” 

“No clue. A favor can mean anything, you just have to be prepared for when Lizzie decides.” 

“Right.” Briar sighed, running a hand down her face. “It’s not like I have enough already to worry about.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter 12: Rendezvous

“She waited for him—heart alight, hope glistening her eyes—as the prince ascended to the window, ready and with sword in hand to finally set her free.”

It took all of Raven’s power to create the butterflies. 

Under normal circumstances, they would’ve been as easy as breathing. Compared to what she could create, they were innocent and pure pieces of fantasy. Raven liked to call them ‘nothing magic’, as they weren’t meant for anything but her own pleasure. She learned, however, that the butterflies could be useful in various ways. They could be beacons of light, guardians, her eyes and ears when she couldn’t be someplace herself. And, when necessary, she was able to imbue secret messages into them—messages only the intended receiver could hear. 

The enchantment on her tower was strong, but not quite strong enough. She was, after all, the most wicked of them all. With the right amount of focus and effort, she could conjure the butterflies, their wings faintly aubergine in the night. Cupping her hands around them, she whispered her desire and sent them off. 

All she could do was wait. 

And wait.

And…wait. Raven opened her eyes, feeling the tingle of someone nearby. Straining her ears to listen, the familiar sounds of someone scrabbling up the stones made her heart leap. Rising from her cot and hurrying to the single barred window, it took a beat or two for the familiar sunkissed fingers to grab onto the sill, shaking and quivering with strain. 

“Raven,” Briar gasped, sweating and struggling to breathe as she perched on the outer ledge, pressing a flat palm to her chest. “We have to find a better way to talk. I can’t… pages, I’m not built for this.” 

“Thanks for coming,” Raven told her honestly. “I…I didn’t think you would.” 

“Blasting people off castle towers isn’t the best way to make friends,” Briar complained, raking a hand over her hair to push it out of her face. “But I didn’t die, so there’s that.” 

“Sorry,” Raven apologized with a cringe, blinking as she took Briar in with a wide gaze. She looked horrible, sickly even, with dark circles under her eyes and a long, stitched gash in her upper right arm. “What happened to you?” 

“Huh? Oh, that. Yeah, you’re not the only one trying to kill me in this place,” Briar huffed, leaning against the bars with a cringe. “I’m fine, just a little tired. Ashlynn wouldn’t stop fussing; I had to wait till she was asleep to get out.” 

“Ashlynn. She’s Cinderella’s legacy, right?” 

“Yep. Sweet as can be, but let me tell you, she’s a hawk when it comes to…well, me.” Briar chuckled through the bars, holding her arm as she shifted to get more comfortable. “So what’s up? Got an explanation for me?” 

“Did you bring it?” 

Briar nodded, twisting her fingers around a chain hanging from her neck. The key appeared from under her nightdress, shimmering faintly bronze in the moonlight. “It changed after I held it,” she admitted. “It used to be silver.” 

“True magic is fluid and ever changing. I’m not surprised.” 

“So, what did you mean last night?” 

“Exactly what I said.” Raven shrugged helplessly, sitting on the small stone bench just under her window. “The legacy keys are made by the true Storybook of Legends; they are impossible to break or falsify. This was my mothers key.” 

“So?” 

“The keys are made when a legacy touches the book. Only the chosen person for that story has access to their page, at least that’s what mother said.” 

“So because we didn’t get keys, you think the book is fake?” 

“It has to be,” Raven insisted. “It’s the magic of the key that makes the signature permanent.” 

“Ok, hold up. How do you know any of this is even true?” Briar hoisted a brow, her eyes filled with suspicion. “I mean, I don’t want to be presumptuous or anything, but your mom was the Evil Queen, right?” 

Raven pursed her lips, hesitantly nodding. “She was. My legacy is familial, just like yours.” 

“And you trust your mom’s word?” 

Raven felt a bit of uncertainty swell in her gut. Briar had a point. Her mom was evil to the core, with ambitions to match. Her reputation preceded her. But Raven also knew what was kept inside her mother’s heart; a shred of love that was reserved specifically for her. “The key is real,” Raven assured, steadying her rapidly beating heart. “It’s impossible to make a fake one. You saw it change for yourself.” 

“But if the key makes the signature true, this shouldn’t be here,” Briar tapped the artifact with a nail, screwing up her face in confusion. “How is that possible?” 

“My mom never signed the book.” 

Briar’s eyes widened a bit, her lips parting in surprise. “What?” 

“She never signed it. Mom was evil Briar, please understand, but she also didn’t believe in a predestined ending. She wanted more. More for herself, and later in life, more for me. She wanted us to be free, even if it was for all the wrong reasons. She took her key and fled Ever After on legacy day.” 

“Legacy day?” 

“It was the original way legacies decided their destinies, before Queen Snow White changed it.” 

“Alright. So, assuming this is true, where is the real book?” 

“I have no idea,” Raven sighed, running a hand across the back of her neck. “Mom had plans to steal the book and hide it so that she could dominate Ever After in the confusion. But when she returned, the book was already missing.” 

“So she assumed Queen Snow White took it.” 

“Does she not seem the type? I mean, the woman’s a control freak. Watching every legacy sign the book? Making sure she had a ‘request’ to use for blackmail? She almost killed you on the second day by setting Faybelle loose. And they call my mom evil.” 

“I’m not saying you’re wrong, Raven. I do believe you,” Briar sighed, causing something hopeful to rise in Raven’s chest. How long had she waited for someone to say those words to her? Apple certainly didn’t. “My mom didn’t want this legacy for me either. She left royalty to hide in the bramble woods, hoping no one would find us there. It didn’t work, obviously, but I get it.” 

“I’m sorry you got stuck here,” Raven told her, hesitantly reaching a hand through the window to touch the girl's arm. “Really, I am.” 

“I don’t really care about me. It’s too late for that.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“My brothers are safe; that’s all I wanted. One-hundred-years of sleep…it’s practically a death sentence.” 

“But what about your happily ever after? Don’t you want that?” 

“My mom didn’t get her’s, so why would I?” Briar huffed, shaking her head as she leaned her deeper against the rough stones. “Mom was sick the minute she woke up from that curse, Raven. Barely a decade of life for one-hundred-years of enchanted death. Hardly seems like a fair trade. Friends, family, anyone she ever knew? Dead. Her husband was a stranger. The curse gets more powerful with each generation, you know. I may not even make it past five years when I wake up.” 

“I…I didn’t know that.” 

“No one does, because one-hundred-years is enough time to forget. But it doesn’t matter anymore; it’s too late.” 

“Not if the book is fake,” Raven told her, trying to send as much of her hope into the legacy sitting on the sill. “If I’m right, none of us are tied to our stories. If we can find that book and destroy it, you could live and I could be free of my mothers legacy.” 

“You don’t want your mom’s legacy?” Briar wondered, tilting her head. “I mean, I get not wanting to be the worst of them all. But the way you talk about her…” 

“I do love my mom, but she did a lot of horrible things,” Raven said, frowning. “She came back just to poison Snow White. To follow the legacy she didn’t even want purely out of spite. She was on the run for years after that, creating chaos wherever she went.” 

“So how did you end up here?” 

“I…well, I lived with my mom till I was six. Then time caught up with her and she was captured. I was captured too, and worked in Snow White’s palace as a servant, so she could keep an eye on me.” 

“You were just a kid,” Briar complained, wrinkling her face. “Did you know?” 

“About being the next evil queen? I…didn’t. Not till much later.” 

“How did you not know?” 

“Mom always told me that I would be free to rule my own way. I guess, when I got older, I just assumed someone else would get chosen for the legacy and I could be good, like I wanted. Maybe I was too hopeful, huh?” 

“Maybe,” Briar sighed, staring up at the sky. “I hoped for the same, so I can’t really blame you.” 

“We can still change our destinies, Briar,” Raven urged, gripping the bars so tightly her knuckles turned white. “I can’t do much from here, but something is going on. Apple has been pestering me a lot lately.” 

“Join the club,” Briar scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Nice enough but sticky as tar.” 

“Briar, you can’t trust her with anything, ok?” 

Briar hummed in her throat. “You think she’s working for her mom?” 

“I don’t…know. She might be, but she’s also a bit of a feather-brain sometimes. I do know that Apple is someone who desperately wants her happily ever after to come true. If something threatens that? She’ll do whatever it takes to fix it.”  

Briar’s confusion deepened as she shifted, giving Raven a very pointed stare. “Intimate with Snow White’s daughter, Raven? You seem to know a lot about her.” 

“I…uh…” Raven felt something hot blaze to life in her cheeks as she swallowed, shrinking under an intense carnelian gaze. “Never mind that,” she hissed, waving a hand. “Just, be careful around her, ok? Who knows what she’ll do.” 

“Hmm, noted. So, what exactly is your plan?” 

“I don’t know yet,” Raven grunted, pouting. “I’m stuck in here most of the time. I can’t do anything without being watched.” 

“Then you need to find a way out of your tower.” Something thoughtful crossed Briar’s face, creating a small notch between her brows. “You said Apple will do anything for her happy ending. Maybe you can use that to your advantage? She wasn’t crazy about your little performance at the assembly, or rather, lack thereof. She’s fully aware that you’re not willing to be what your mom was.” 

“I’d have to think about it,” Raven grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Come back again? Maybe I’ll have something.” 

“If I have to keep climbing up this tower, one of these days someone’s going to notice. You’re being watched, but so am I.” 

“Aren’t you a royal? I thought you could go wherever you wanted.” 

“Yeah, compared to you, maybe. But I also had an assassin try to poison me today. I’ve made enemies already and it’s been three days. I also have a roommate who worries her head about everything, a ‘best friend’ who I apparently can’t trust, and that best friend's girlfriend, who has to keep stepping in to keep me from dying. So, not necessarily on the down low to go snooping in the Queen’s office.” 

“If I poke around the other villain-legacies for info about your so-called ‘assassin’, will you come back?” 

“You don’t have to bribe me, Raven. I’m just saying that we need a way of communicating that’s less…well, hazardous.” 

“I’ll think about it. Magic is a wonderful thing, and I’ve got plenty of that,” giving her fingers a snap, Raven created a purple spark between her fingers. “But for now, you’ll keep coming with the butterflies?” 

“If I can do it without getting caught,” Briar agreed, glancing at the sky. “It’s getting late. I should go before Ashlynn wakes up and has a freak out that I’m not there.” 

“Ok. But be careful, Briar. And remember, keep that key hidden.” 

“I will.” 

“Do you want me to…?” Lifting her hands to perform the teleportation spell, Briar rapidly shook her head, a certain pallor on her face. 

“Uh, no, absolutely not. I’ve had enough of magic for a lifetime. I’ll take the long way back, thanks. See you around, Raven.” 

Watching Briar slowly scrabble back down the tower from where she’d come, Raven kept an eye on her shadow until she couldn’t anymore, her form vanishing through a dark window at the very far side of the school. Heaving a sigh of relief, Raven sat back on her bench, rubbing her jaw bone. She had to get out of this tower and find the real storybook of legends. Not just for her own sake anymore, but for Briar’s too. 

But how? 

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirteen: Reckless

“War rarely ever ends by being ‘amicable’ towards another’s wrongs. You fight to win, or you don’t fight at all.” 

“Hold still, this might sting a little.”  

‘A little’ was the understatement of the year. Briar sucked in a sharp breath as Ashlynn began to gently dab at her stitches with a washcloth, cleaning them from any seepage that had oozed into the bandages during the night. Despite her light and careful touches, the gash was deep and angry (thankfully not poisoned anymore), but it sure hurt like it. 

Briar grabbed onto the side of her vanity chair, the wood creaking under her fingers. “…pages, Ash…” she bit out, causing her roommate to whine a bit in her throat and shuffle on her feet. 

“Sorry, I’m being as careful as I can. Thank goodness Darling knows how to stitch or your arm could’ve fallen off.” 

Briar winced again as a shock of pain flared through her muscles. It probably wasn’t the best idea to take a night climb with fresh stitches, but Briar wasn’t waiting around to get answers from Raven. She had sworn Darling to secrecy regarding the poison hidden on the assassin's blade, meaning no one knew except them and the legacies from Wonderland. The trio of exchange students seemed keen on keeping to themselves, so Briar had no concerns that they would snitch on her. At least not on purpose. 

Knowing what happened would’ve sent Ashlynn into a frenzy, something Briar desperately wanted to avoid. 

“If you didn’t go running after people with knives this wouldn’t happen,” Ash complained, surprising Briar with her forwardness. “You could’ve let Darling handle it.” 

“I couldn’t let the assassin get away. I was closer…” Briar hissed suddenly as Ashlynn hit a sensitive spot, her nails digging crescent moon shaped indents into the nice wooden seat. Ash didn’t seem all that concerned, continuing her work with a furrowed brow. 

“Why are you so reckless?” 

“I’m not reckless,” Briar complained. “It’s not like I go running after potential killers all the time.” 

“I know you left last night.” 

Briar blinked, momentarily freezing in place. No way. “What?” 

“You were gone for almost thirty minutes. I heard you open the window and go out onto the sill,” Ashlynn complained, dunking her cloth into a bowl of water, unfazed by the blood which blossomed from the fabric. “Why are you climbing out windows at midnight? And with an open wound no less.” 

“I…didn’t do that.” The lie was bad, even to Briar’s ears. Ash gave her an uncommonly firm stare, one that said loud and clear that she didn’t believe her for a second. 

“I’m not stupid. I know what strained stitches look like. What were you doing?” 

“I…nothing. Ow!” 

Ashlynn purposefully pressed on part of her arm, causing it to sting. “Wrong answer. Try again.” 

“Ok, ok, I’m sorry. Just, you can’t tell anyone else, ok? Especially not Apple or she’d flip.” 

“You aren’t doing something dangerous, are you?”

“Not, uh, super dangerous,” Briar drawled, hissing again as Ashlynn squeezed her arm, causing it to pulse. “Ow, Ash, would you stop that?” 

“Then tell me the truth.” 

“Ok, just relax. I’ve been leaving to…speak with Raven, up in the tower.” 

“What?” Ashlynn’s eyes widened as she awkwardly reached for the footstool, pulling it towards her so she could sit. “Briar, that’s the daughter of the Evil Queen. You shouldn’t be going anywhere near her.” 

“She called me to her with magic the night I said I fell out the window. I had to follow it.” 

“What are you doing following dark magic out into the night? And I’m guessing you didn’t take the stairs to reach the highest place in the castle.” 

“It’s not the hardest climb. There’s vines…ow!” Briar was surprised by a sharp whack to the back of her head, not painful, but also completely unexpected from someone like Ashlynn. “What was that for?” 

“For being an idiot,” Ash hissed under her breath, huffing unhappily. “Why don’t you care about your own safety? It hasn’t even been a week yet and you’ve already almost died twice. It’s almost like you’re doing it on purpose.” 

“I’m not…” 

“Then why in all of Ever After are you climbing out windows and up towers to speak with someone who’s destined to be evil?” 

“Because she’s not evil,” Briar replied back, rubbing her scalp with her good arm as Ash blinked, sitting back slowly. 

“What do you mean?” 

“You saw what Raven did at the assembly. She could’ve killed Apple, but she didn’t. She turned her back on her legacy. She’s just like us.” 

“Briar, you can’t trust anything Raven says,” Ashlynn argued. “She could be manipulating you.” 

“She’s not.” 

“How can you be sure?” 

“I just…am.” Briar hated that Ashlynn had a point. What if Raven was lying to her? The possibility was there. She herself had told Raven to doubt the Evil Queen’s word; was it hypocritical of her not to follow her own advice? It just felt wrong though, like a puzzle piece didn’t fit quite right. Something must’ve shown on her face as Ashlynn sighed, gently cradling her cheek in one hand and forcing them to meet eyes. 

“Briar, I know you don’t want your legacy. I don’t think anyone does, deep down. But putting your faith in someone like Raven, even if she seems good? It just…isn’t a good idea. Not when you know so little about her.” 

“What if she’s not like her mom, Ash? What if she’s stuck up there with a legacy, just like us, and hates every second of it?” 

“Then I feel for her. But there’s no way you can know for certain what or who she is. And this place…it’s…it’s just not safe to be reckless. You aren’t safe being reckless.” 

Ashlynn ghosted her fingers across Briar’s arm, causing the blazing skin to tingle, effectively proving her point. “I can’t stand seeing you get hurt, Briar. It grates on my brain like you wouldn’t believe. But you can’t be safe and I can’t help, if you keep putting yourself in bad situations on purpose.” 

“Ash I…” 

“Just, promise me you’ll be more careful. Please? For me?” 

Briar opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. Something in her chest ached at the way Ashlynn was staring at her, practically begging. It reminded her of Honor; how desperate he was for her not to leave them on the Summoning. She didn’t have the will to break Ashlynn’s heart with another lie, not if she had the choice. Swallowing thickly (it felt like a handful of rocks), Briar nodded, finding a piece of Ashlynn’s pretty strawberry hair and looping it around a finger. “I promise.” 

“Thank you.” Her breath came out long, as though she’d been holding it in. “Because I swear, if I have to clean any more wounds, it’ll be one that I gave you.” 

Briar hoisted a brow as Ashlynn gathered her things, taking them back into the washroom. Staring after her for a moment, the daughter of roses huffed. 

She was a terrible influence on her roommate. 

“…stop fussing with it.” Apple’s pale hand swatted Briar’s hand away from her collar as they walked towards the Castleteria for lunch. “You look great.” 

“I feel stupid.” 

“It’s not stupid to look your best,” the daughter of Snow White complained, pausing in the middle of the hallway to fluff and straighten the new dress she had whipped together in her fashion class-ic. “You look so much better in clothing that isn’t tattered.” 

“You know she’s right,” Darling agreed from where she stood on Apple’s other side, pushing a white and blue curl over her shoulder. “You are quite lovely in the face when you put a little effort in.” 

“Shut up.” 

“Knock it off, both of you,” Apple warned, brandishing her hands as though taming a den of lions. “You’re acting like children.” 

“Your girlfriend is insulting me,” Briar complained, screwing up her face at the White Knight. “I thought knights were meant to be courteous.” 

“I am courteous. Just not to Princesses who make me work twice as hard to do my job.” 

“That’s enough,” Apple ordered, brandishing her finger as Darling stepped down, her blue eyes flashing with mirth. “You, stop antagonizing her. And you,” Apple pointed at Briar. “Stop responding. We are peaceful here at Ever After, full of grace and poise.” 

Briar rolled her eyes. “You said that yesterday and I almost di…”

“Shh. Don’t even speak about it out loud.” Apple folded the flats of her palms together, taking a sharp sniff to quell her rising irritation. “We are already looking for the attacker. If they are in the school, they won’t get far. Right now we are focusing on lunch . And if you two can’t figure out how to get along, I will be forced to separate you. Is that clear?” 

Darling shifted, her sword clanking on her hip. But she nodded, throwing a wink at Briar across the back of her girlfriend’s shoulders. All in jest. Friendly fire. Not a threat. The daughter of roses smirked, throwing an obscene hand gesture (stolen from Lizzie) back in return, causing Darling to snort and nearly lose her composure. Not saying much else as they walked into the Castleteria for midday break, the hall was buzzing with people. Unlike breakfast, which was quiet and peaceful, midday was packed wall to wall with students. 

Groups of students had already formed alliances, sitting together and discussing classes or whatever else was on their mind. Across the room, behind the barrier, the villain-touched were doing much the same, though with poorer food choices and a dreary atmosphere. 

“Guys, over here!” Farrah waved excitedly to them through the crowd, her and Ashlynn having already claimed a table. Though it had only been a few days, Briar also sat with most of the same people. Farrah and Ashlynn of course, Apple, Darling, Rosabella, and her friend Dexter. Dexter Charming was the boy with the glasses she’d seen the day of the assembly. The younger brother of Darling and Daring. He hadn’t spoken a single word to her since they were introduced, but he also stared at her as though she would shove him in the trash bin any moment. Blondie and Cedar sat at the end of the table, mostly keeping to themselves, which was just fine. 

“…good afternoon, your majesty.” 

Glancing up as Darling spoke, Briar shook away her thoughts, focusing in on what had occurred while she wasn’t paying attention. They had been intercepted by the Wonderlandian students on their way to the table, the three stopping them in their tracks. Lizzie nodded her head at Darling’s respectful bow, glancing from her to Apple as her blue eyes narrowed a touch. “Lizzie, Apple White. Future Queen of Ever After. Apple, Princess Elizabeth Hearts, of Wonderland.” 

“Pleasure to meet you.” 

Lizzie pursed her lips silently, giving another slight head tilt in return. She didn’t seem to keen on Apple’s presence, but then, based on the way Apple herself shifted on her heels, the feeling was mutual. Did they not like each other? 

“And this is Princess Briar, of the Kingdom of Roses.” 

Briar twitched at the term ‘Princess’ being used before her name, but she blinked as Lizzie glanced up at her. Big blue eyes stared out from a heart shaped birthmark on her face, red lips curling at the edges to form a very unnervingly-sweet smile. The future Red Queen held out her hand, palm down. Blinking in confusion, Briar felt Darling nudge her with an elbow. Glancing at her, the White Knight did a phantom motion with her body, mouthing a sentence. ‘She wants you to kiss it.’ 

“Oh, uh,” Briar turned back, gently taking Lizzie’s hand with her own. “Your majesty.” 

Giving a quick bow to gently kiss the awaiting knuckles, Briar could hear the silence around them. No doubt people were watching the exchange, seeing as Ever After was always watching. 

“It is good to see you well after yesterday’s excitement,” Lizzie said, surprising Briar with a full sentence that she could understand. Darling seemed surprised too, as her eyes widened a bit. “How are you feeling today, my dear?” 

“A…bit sore, the gash was deep. But it’s better than it was.” 

“I’m happy to hear it,” Lizzie smiled, the expression crinkling her eyes as she caressed Briar’s hand with her own. “You are very strong indeed. Back home, such strength is fairy rare and quite coveted by the crown. I am most impressed by your tenacity.” 

“Thank you, your majesty.” 

“Please, you may use Lizzie. A friend of Wonderland is a friend of mine, after all.” 

“R-right, thank you, Lizzie.” 

“Of course. I will leave you to your company, but I’m sure we will be meeting again in the near future. Shall you need anything at all, come to me or my companions.” Lizzie motioned to Maddie and Kitty, who were waiting patiently for their leader to be finished. “Good day, my champion.”

Briar didn’t have time to digest the unusual farewell, as Lizzie leaned up on her toes and planted a fearless kiss on her cheek. It was nearly the exact same place as the day before, the lipstick tingling against her skin as the girl nodded to Apple and Darling before turning tail and vanishing where she had come. Holding a hand to her face to feel the burn of the token, Apple was the first to break the silence. 

“What in all of Ever After was that about?” 

“You must’ve made a strong impression on Lizzie, Briar,” Darling agreed, furrowing her brows. “The heir to the Red Queen isn’t meant to speak to anyone outside the court unless it’s through a translator. It’s forbidden.” 

Briar pursed her lips, raking a hand through her hair. “Did I do something spectacular?” She wondered. “Last I checked I was up against a wall bleeding. Is that impressive in Wonderland?”

“Wonderlandians from the Red Court value strength and courage, so maybe it was impressive to her that you were willing to take a blade like that.” 

“And the kissing?” 

“Still not sure about that one,” Darling frowned, shaking her head. “Maybe she just likes you.” 

Running a palm across the side of her jaw, gently removing the lipstick from her cheek, Briar felt a familiar prickle of energy up her spine. Turning, Faybelle was standing at the barrier. She looked livid, though it easily could’ve been a trick of the light. 

“Hey, Princess,” she said, making sure her voice carried. “I know you can hear me.” 

“Go back to the table,” Darling ordered, giving Briar a light shove. “I’ll handle it.” 

“No, I want to know what she wants. Just give me a minute.” 

Darling screwed up her face but didn’t argue, taking Apple’s arm to escort her to the table. Approaching the magical barrier, Faybelle’s wings fluttered, the hole beginning to close up as it healed. “What, Faybelle?” 

“Aren’t you afraid of catching pink-eye from someone like her?” The dark fairy goaded, tilting her head as she rested on a hip. “I didn’t think you’d be the one waiting like a puppy at another's feet.” 

“It’s called respect, Faybelle. Don’t imagine you know much about that.” 

“Are you the Queen of Hearts' new little toy? Sure seems like it to me.” 

“Why do you even care?” Briar arched a brow, her lip twitching in humor. “Upset that I’m not kissing your hand?” 

“Ew! No, that’s disgusting.” Faybelle’s face contorted as she stuck out her tongue. “I just thought you had more dignity than kissing someone else’s grubby knuckles. Maybe you’re not the big bad princess you pretend to be.” 

“Like you’d know anything about dignity,” Briar chuffed, rolling her eyes in annoyance. “Let me guess, it’s only been a day of classes and you’re already at the bottom of the heap? Is that why you’ve got your wings in a twist?” 

Faybelle sneered, curling her fists. “I can beat out anyone I want. This place fears me. You should too, what with that big hole in your arm. If it were me, I would’ve gone for the neck.” 

“I know it wasn’t you, Faybelle,” Briar snarled back, unconsciously rolling her bad arm as her stitches pulled. The dark fairy’s lip twitched, though it was out of annoyance rather than pride. 

“What makes you think it wasn’t me?” 

“You’re too sloppy to pull off an attack like that,” Briar shot back, sniffing indignantly. “If you’re graceful, then I’m the most beautiful girl here…” 

“Curse you, Briar,” Faybelle shouted, banging her arm against the magic barrier as it rippled. “I swear to the maker, when I find a way out of this place, you’re dead. You’ll be so dead they won’t be able to find your body.” 

“Ooh, I’m so scared,” Briar watched with a head toss as Faybelle bloodied her fists against the magic, her eyes a pretty shade of turquoise. “Grow up.” 

“Briar, come away. Now.” 

Turning her back at Darling’s order, Faybelle seethed in place. “Yeah, go, Princess! Follow your master like the pathetic little doggie you are.” 

Clenching her fists in frustration, Briar turned, giving Faybelle the same rude hand gesture she’d shot Darling earlier. There were a few gasps of surprise as the dark fairy shrieked in rage, still punching the barrier as Briar smirked, pushing a curl of hair over her shoulder. 

“At least she’s getting her energy out,” Darling sighed, shoving Briar’s shoulder with her own. “Why do you always have to rile her up? Can’t you just leave her alone?”

“Not until she leaves me alone. If you didn’t notice, she called me over, not the other way around.” Briar winced as Darling slapped the back of her head, causing her to wince and grab at her scalp. “Ow, pages, Darling! What was that for?” 

“That was from Ashlynn, actually. She told me to deliver one every time you’re being reckless.” 

“You guys aren’t very nice to me and my hobbies,” Briar complained, flopping down into an empty seat and accepting the plate Farrah shoved her way. Glancing at Ashlynn, there was a knowing smile on her pretty lips, something tricky sparkling in her green eyes. Briar made a face at her, spearing a grape with her fork. 

She really needed to stop influencing her friends. 

Chapter Text

Interlude: The Chessboard of Life

Lizzie sat before the chessboard in silence. 

Leaned over her crossed knees, she stared at the series of black and white squares, all while shuffling a familiar deck of cards between her fingers. The edges were soft and worn with time, the pictures on their faces having lost their gold foil sheen from her childhood. On the board, she sat behind an army of red pieces, the figurines each intricately carved out of ruby glass. Across from her, the white pieces glistened ivory in the dark, threatening a frontal assault. It was currently white’s move, but Lizzie had yet to see the turn being taken. Mindlessly shuffling her life deck, the soft scent of vanilla reached her nose. “I know you’re there, Cheshire. Reveal yourself.” 

There was an airy giggle as Kitty appeared on the other side of the chessboard, leering over the white pieces but wise enough not to touch. Her long tail whipped in a billow of smoke as she settled, toothy grin wide and causing her amethyst eyes to sparkle. “My queen,” she greeted with a purr. “I can never pull the wool over your eyes.” 

“If you’d stop wearing vanilla scented perfume, perhaps you’d have an easier time being discreet,” Lizzie replied, splitting her deck. “What is it that you need? I’m currently engaged in combat.”

“I can see that, but I did what you asked of me and I thought you’d want a report.” 

“Have you brought anything of use, or are you just here to be a pestilence?” 

“Oh no, your majesty, I’d never come empty clawed,” Kitty drawled, vanishing into the in-between before reappearing in smoke by her side. “A key to the one who attacked your champion.”  

In Kitty’s nails was a single white feather, pristine and pure like a ray of moonlight. Lizzie looked upon it with a sniff, curling her lip unhappily. “A feather. How very curious.” 

“Allow me to finish this task for you,” Kitty urged, her eyes gleaming faintly yellow before fading back into their usual purple. “I do love a good hunt.” 

“Hmm. Very well, do what you must to find the owner of this feather. But do not snap their neck or I’ll snap yours.” Lizzie stopped her shuffling, removing a red seven of hearts from her hand. “When you find the traitor, use this to bring them to me. I wish to look upon their foolishness myself and decide the correct punishment.” 

Kitty accepted the token with a grin, chuckling as she tucked it into her bodice. “Of course, your highness. But if you would indulge a kitty’s curiosity, if only for a moment?” 

Lizzie scowled but nodded her head, continuing to shuffle her deck, now one card short. The white side of the board still had yet to make a move. “Speak purposefully, I haven’t the time for riddles.” 

Kitty vanished again, reappearing on a cushion just right of the chessboard. “Why do you care so much for the daughter of roses? It was bold of you to speak aloud to her in the presence of others today. Was it not your mother’s orders that you weren’t to speak a word outside court?” 

“Briar is my chosen champion,” Lizzie huffed, glaring at the faintly purple feline waiting across from her. “I have granted her a token; therefore, she is part of the court. I am not in any breach of my mother’s orders, and I do not need you to impose my mother's will upon me when it's none of your concern. It is imperative nothing happens to Briar before the time is right. I cannot bring a dead champion back to Wonderland.” 

“Apologies for overstepping, but why her, your majesty?” Kitty’s tail swished as she rolled over onto her back, stretching with a wide yawn. “The compendium is never clear on destiny; it’s ever changing. How can you be so sure that this one is your champion?” 

“Mother always said that I would know,” Lizzie admitted, spreading a line of face down cards on the table before her. “Perhaps it’s magic, perhaps it’s not, but the deck never lies. It has been prophesized since the beginning of time that Wonderland must always have two champions, lest our magic fall out of balance. Destiny may have already found a white knight in the Charming girl, but it is up to me to find a warrior who bleeds red.” 

“Yes, I know the story,” Kitty said, flipping over onto her stomach and leaning on an open hand. “A champion of white bears the scales and a champion of red bears the sword. But my question still remains. Why the daughter of roses?” 

“She has ferocity and courage in her eyes,” Lizzie admitted, counting her cards as they laid before her. “But something else too, which is nay impossible to explain or describe. I wonder if it is the same feeling mother had upon finding my father as her champion.” 

“Then I hope you’re right, my queen,” Kitty said, unusually stoic as she twirled a pigtail. “I fear the in-between is more restless than usual. Something is on the horizon, but what is still unknown to me.” 

“All the more reason to ready our champions,” Lizzie waved the flat of her hand over the line of cards, flipping them over with an invisible breeze. The Queen of Hearts waited at the end, staring up at her with dead eyes and a blade through her throat. Glancing up at the chessboard, one of the white pieces began to move, capturing another pawn as it shattered into pieces across the battlefield. Lizzie cringed, pursing her lips. “We simply haven’t much time left.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Fifteen: Broken Revelations 

"Wild animals stay wild unless someone else decides to break their spirits."

Briar wasn’t a fan of reading, she decided. It was way too many words all in the same narrow space; just looking at it made her temples burn. Rosabella sat across from her at the dorm table, skimming a tome that was the same thickness as a brick. 

“What are you reading that for?” Briar wondered, if only for an excuse to stop suffering on the same short passage she’d been rereading for the past ten minutes. 

“This? It’s called the History of Magic and Mayhem. Fascinating stuff.” 

“What class is it for? You know, so I can avoid it?” 

Rosabella wrinkled her nose in humor as she adjusted her glasses, scooching them up the shallow bridge of her nose. “It’s not for a class. It’s just for my own personal enjoyment.” 

“You read for fun?” Briar shook her head at the concept. “Why?” 

“Because reading is amazing. Well, amazing once you get the hang of it, anyway. How’s that passage coming?” 

“It’s like deciphering a bunch of gibberish. Why is this even necessary?” 

“It’s just the beauty of an education,” Rosabella shrugged, leaning on an open hand. “Though I understand you’re more of a practical learner. Are the letters still moving around?” 

“Yes. Can’t you just read it to me? My head hurts.” 

“No! That defeats the point of my tutoring you.” Rosabella laughed, closing her book as it coughed out a cloud of dust. “But maybe we’ve been studying long enough for today.” 

“I feel like my eyeballs are about to pop out.” 

“You’re so dramatic.” 

Scowling at her cousin who merely chuckled in return, Briar blinked and sat up as there was a tap tap tap at the door. Arching a brow curiously, she wasn’t sure who it could be. Ashlynn had promised her the dorm tonight for studying purposes, and Apple always entered with fanfare. The daughter of Snow White didn’t tend to knock. Going to the door and opening it a crack, she was surprised to be looking down upon a wild head of turquoise, purple, and white hair. “Maddie?” 

“Howdy doodle,” the Wonderlandian giggled, a smile scrunching up her face. “Caughtcha by surprise, did I?” 

“Uh, yeah, you sure did.” Briar knew the Wonderlandian students were staying in a different part of the castle, as per the exchange agreement. Glancing around the hall, Maddie shook her head. 

“It’s just me,” she chirped. “Can I enter? I have something for you.” 

“Sure, yeah. We were just finishing up.” Stepping aside to grant Maddie entry, she waved excitedly at Rosabella, shoving a hand under her hat and removing a random cup of tea. 

“I didn’t know there was a party going on,” the girl laughed, taking a sip of the beverage. “Good thing I always carry emergency tea.” 

Rosabella blinked in wonder as Briar shook her head, motioning for her not to ask. Saying goodbye and closing the door behind her cousin, Briar turned around to find Maddie sitting on the table, completely ignoring the chairs present. Her tea was gone, and a suddenly severe expression now bent down her brows. Startled by the sudden change of attitude, Briar swallowed and cleared her throat. She’d never been alone with the legacy of the Mad Hatter before, and she seemed nice enough. But what she’d heard from other students made her think the girl was just a little bit on the kooky side. “So, what do you need, Maddie?” 

“I bring a gift from the Red Queen,” she said without missing a beat. “It’s very important. She asked me to deliver it with the utmost urgency.” Maddie removed her hat again, dipping her arm into it much like Lizzie did with her bag. From inside she pulled a single stack of plain white cards, banded together in red twine. Stepping closer in curiosity, Maddie held them out for her, grinning with a slightly wild expression. “Ta-da!” 

Briar accepted the gift, flipping them over in her hands. They were blank, no pictures or numbers to be found on them. “Playing cards?” 

“Not just playing cards, silly-billy. This is a life deck; it helps guide your way through even the stickiest of situations. Only the royal family keeps them, and now, you have one.” 

“But they’re blank.” 

“Give them a shuffle. Let the cards understand you, and all will become clear.” 

Not really getting what Maddie meant, Briar gently slipped the twine from the stack, pushing the cards apart in her fingers. They felt soft, as though they were cut from the softest velvet. Beginning to split and rearrange the deck in her calloused fingers, Briar squinted as something warm tingled against her fingertips. Slowly but surely, the blank faces began to fade into images: bleeding hearts wrapped in black thorns, silver arrowheads engraved with roses, a deer with three heads and broad antlers, and a clashing of three swords, all overgrown with brambles. 

“There are four corners of Wonderland,” Maddie explained. “But only two kingdoms–two Queens–who rule. To the north, at the top of the world, is the White Court. The White Queen rules here; daughter of Spades and keeper of justice.” Maddie waved a hand, one of the arrow cards jumping from Briar’s grip to land face up on the table. “To the south, at the bottom of the world, is the Red Court. The Red Queen’s domain, daughter of Hearts and overseer of punishment.” Maddie summoned a heart card as it landed below the arrows, the two facing one another as though preparing to go to war. “The two Queen’s keep the balance of our world, battling often when one’s head gets just a little too big.” 

“Lizzie is the daughter of the Red Queen,” Briar confirmed, still mindlessly shuffling her deck as the edges shimmered in silver, and frames of roses and thorns began to weave down the borders of each card. “The Red Court is her home. What about the other two directions?” 

“Oh, we don’t discuss the borders of Wonderland,” Maddie assured. “But I will tell you, just this once. To the east is the Westing Woods. It’s full of magical creatures of every sort and size, some big, some small, some big and small at the same time. It’s easy to go in, not so easy to come back out.” 

“That’s only slightly ominous,” Briar mumbled as the three headed deer card fell to the right of the arrows and hearts. “And the last corner?” 

“The barrens,” Maddie practically shivered as she spoke, her bones rattling. “You’ll find the meanest creatures here, but also some of the kindest. But worst of all, atop the horizon spire, the dreaded Jabberwocky sleeps.” Maddie placed the last card, the clashing swords. Waving a hand again, the cards began to shift, as though coming to life. “This is Wonderland. Our home.” 

“It’s amazing. But why are you telling me this?” 

“Because you may need it,” Maddie said, as though the answer was obvious. Flicking a gloved finger, the cards returned to Briar’s deck, shuffling in with the others. “A life deck is a magical tool. When in trouble or in need of advice, summon the cards and they can give you a hint. But remember, knowing what the cards are telling you is the hard part; destiny is a tricky thing, it likes to spin riddles.” 

“Riddles,” Briar frowned, blinking suddenly as something popped into her mind. “Maddie, you speak…the language of Wonderland, right?” 

“Riddlish? Sure do.” 

“Can you look at something for me? Ah,” Briar winced as Maddie tilted her head a bit too far to one side. “So long as it won’t cost me another favor.” 

“No, no, of course not. You carry a token of the Red Queen; therefore, we can be friends without the need for favors.” 

“Can you decipher something for me?” 

Maddie nodded as Briar re-tied her deck of cards, setting them on the table. Going to her bed, she reached under the pillow, finding the paper the strange shadow man had blown to her that night in the garden. She’d almost completely forgotten about it. “Here. I was given this, but I can’t understand any of it.” 

“Ooh, I love a good puzzle,” Maddie chirped, clapping her hands as she unfolded the note. Staring at it for a moment, the girl hummed in her throat before letting out a snorting laugh. “Wowie, whoever wrote this is topsy-turvy. And they call me crazy.” 

“Can you make it out?” 

“It’s directions to a chamber under the castle. Someone is waiting for you there.” 

“Someone?” Briar arched a brow. “Does it say who?” 

“Hey, Riddlish isn’t an exact language,” Maddie chided, waving a finger. “It just says a friend is waiting for you. The entrance is in the library, behind the most obvious door. Knock four times like a heartbeat in love, and you can enter a secret place.” 

“A heartbeat in love?” 

“Remember, not exact,” Maddie said, nodding to the table. “Perhaps something you have can give you a hint.” 

Glancing to the cards, Briar sat down, Maddie leaning over her back as she once again slipped off the twine. This time, where she’d shuffled the cards on her own, the deck began to shuffle itself. It settled into a stack after a moment, waiting to be used. “What do I do?” 

“It’s your life deck, you tell me.” 

Blinking again at the cards, Briar sighed as she held a palm over the top of the stack. Her palm felt warm, a spot on her index finger burning hot as though she held it above an open flame. Tapping the deck with that finger, there was the sound of paper folding as the cards spread themselves across the woodgrain, the last flipping itself over onto its face. 

“A four of hearts,” Maddie concluded. “Knock like a heartbeat in love.” 

“So, four knocks on the most obvious door will get me into this secret place?” Briar assumed, picking up the card and flipping it in her fingers. “Is that right?” 

“Or something,” the Mad Hatter laughed, rocking back on her heels as there was a knock on the door. “Oh, you’re a busy bee in here.” 

“Pages. Hold on, I’m coming!” Waving a hand again, the cards restacked themselves. Fitting the twine over them, Briar slipped the deck under her pillow for safekeeping, having plans to hide it alongside Raven’s key when she wasn’t being watched. Shaking her hands free of the tingle of magic, it was Darling waiting in the doorway, her hand poised to knock a second time. “Darling?” 

“Briar. Good evening,” the White Knight gave a short bow, alerting Briar to the fact that she was on business. 

“Not just stopping by for a chat, huh?” 

“Afraid not, the Queen is requesting a meeting with you immediately.” 

“The Queen?” Briar screwed up her face unhappily. “What for?” 

“Personal reasons,” Darling answered simply, her big eyes blinking in surprise as Maddie popped up under Briar’s arm. “Oh, good evening to you, Madeline.” 

“Salutations,” the Wonderlandian gave a small salute, stepping past Darling and into the hall. She vanished without a word around the corner, practically melting into the shadows.  

“I see you’re making some interesting friends so far. Strange, the Wonderlandians tend to keep to themselves.” 

“I don’t think Maddie has the ability to keep things to herself,” Briar huffed, rubbing a hand across her eyes. “Darling, be real. Why does the Queen want to see me?” 

“I don't actually know,” the knight admitted, shrugging. “I was just told to fetch you.” 

“And if I refuse the summons?” 

“You know what happens if you refuse a meeting with the Queen,” Darling warned, lowering her brows. “Don’t test her, Briar. She’s a fair woman, but only just.” 

“Fair?” Briar scoffed, closing her dorm as she stepped out. “Let’s just get this over with.” 

Darling nodded silently, waving a hand down the hall. As Briar followed her, the feeling of being watched tickled her mind. Glancing back over her shoulder, a puff of purple smoke was just dissolving from in front of her door, a pair of yellow eyes blinking as they vanished. Darling nudged her as they neared the common room, her brows furrowed as she stared at the now empty hallway. “Something wrong?” 

“No,” Briar shook her head, shaking off the tickle of feeling in her bones. “Nothing. 

Darling did seem ready to believe her but said nothing more. As they continued, Briar frowned. Maddie said she’d come alone. 

Seemed to Briar that she was lying. 

The Queen’s office was suffocatingly quiet. 

It smelled heavily of apple spice, while a grandfather clock whirred and ticked loudly. Briar sat in a plush red velvet seat, the cushions practically swallowing her as she stared stiffly across a mahogany desk. Queen Snow White sat behind it, seemingly unbothered by her presence, delicately sipping a cup of tea. Darling had been ordered to leave, meaning Briar was completely alone with someone she didn’t trust. It’s why the tea offered to her upon arrival sat untouched, as did the plate of cookies and jam treats waiting on the side table. 

“It’s very unladylike to stare, dear,” the Queen said finally, opening her nearly white gray eyes to pin her over the rim of her cup. “Something on your mind?” 

“I just…want to know why I’m here, that’s all.” 

“Tsk, tsk, child, so impatient. Not to worry, this is just a personal meeting. Checking in on how things are going.” 

“And you care because?”

“Dear, I care about all my students,” the Queen smiled, her perky lips curling. “Including my troublemakers.” 

“I haven’t done anything.” 

“Oh? That bandage on your arm says otherwise.” 

“Someone attacked me,” Briar complained, feeling her fingers twitch as they clenched. “I don’t start fights.” 

“No? Not even with Miss Thorn?” 

Briar blinked and sat back, frowning as she did. “Have you been watching me?” 

“It’s my school, therefore I like to know what’s going on inside it.” Snow White rose from her seat, rounding the desk to perch elegantly against its front. “Faybelle is a star student. You, on the other hand, concern me.”

“I already told you; I don’t start fights.” 

“This isn’t about starting fights but finishing them. You must learn that Faybelle is your villain. Without her, your story doesn’t exist. You are a princess, Miss Rose. Antagonizing is not productive in getting you ready to become Sleeping Beauty. After all, you can’t sleep for one-hundred-years if you can’t manage to survive one day.” The Queen grinned, something manic and excited as she clapped her hands together. “That’s why I’ve come up with a solution; I’m replacing your Kingdom Management class. Instead, you will be spending that time with me in a more personalized environment. I will teach you everything you need to know to take your place as Sleeping Beauty.” 

Briar couldn’t help herself. The words escaped before she could stop them. “I don’t want this legacy…” 

Briar saw the Queen move, but wasn’t fast enough herself to react. She was a blur of white and black as a ruler appeared in her hand, striking the place between Briar’s shoulder and ear. The pain was hot and prickled across her skin as she unintentionally yelped in pain, grabbing the spot with both hands. “Mind your tone, girl!” Snow White hissed, facade of grace dropped as she wielded the metal edged weapon in one hand. “I’ve watched you for three days and I am fairy disappointed in your lack of progress. Therefore, as Queen and Headmistress, it is my job to rectify the situation before it can become unmanageable.” 

Briar opened her lips to speak but had no words. The Queen had actually struck her. Removing the flat of her hand from the wound, a streak of blood smeared across her palm. No, not just struck her. She made her bleed. “There, there, it’s only a scratch,” the woman mused, settling back down on the edge of her desk. “Behave yourself, and it won’t happen again. Lesson one, you are royalty now, Rose Beauty, and royalty do not disrespect their elders. Do you understand?” 

Briar pursed her lips, keeping the vitriol words off her tongue. She wouldn’t get anywhere good with those. Silence was better until she could find a grip on her temper. Gasping sharply as a hand grabbed onto her face, she was staring up at the Queen, her eyes glowing like burning embers. “You will look at me when I’m speaking to you. Don’t forget, I have given you a very generous gift. Disrespect me again, and I will take that away. Now, do you understand?” 

“I…yes…” Briar swallowed hard, something fearful curling in her chest. It was the same fear she had amongst the brambles of her home, hearing a predator as it scrabbled and scratched nearby for a meal. She was in danger here. 

“Yes what?” 

“Yes, your majesty.” The title tasted bitter as the Queen smiled, sighing as she gently ran a finger through one of her dark curls. 

“Your mother was stubborn about her destiny, too. She was given her happily ever after; had everything she ever wanted, just to throw it away after you were born.” The Queen scoffed, running her long nails down Briar’s face, scratching at the skin in the most uncomfortable way possible. “Pity she rubbed off on you so much, but-” Snow White straightened herself, the smile returning to her face as she tidied up her top and fluffed her hair, “-all wild animals can be broken in with a bit of patience. If someone can make a wolf into a dog and a panther into a house cat, well, I can most certainly turn you into a princess. Now go, sleep well. Our sessions begin tomorrow, bring your very best behavior with you.” 

Briar didn’t linger. She ran from the Queen’s office, still holding her neck as it seeped from the fresh wound. Grabbing onto the nearest doorway, her mind whirled in panic at what Snow White had just said. Personal sessions, possibly with Faybelle? The woman was fully ready to break her using whatever means necessary. Raven was right. Why didn’t you leave when you had the chance? 

“Briar?” 

Darling’s voice was dull in the haze. You are in the Queen’s hands now, you idiot. Briar clenched her eyes shut, willing the thoughts away. But something inside was afraid; afraid for brothers, afraid of Faybelle…afraid for her own life. “Briar?” 

A hand touching her shoulder was all it took. The enchanted death was there, waiting at the door just waiting for the perfect moment to slip in. Briar heaved a gasp of air, hearing a shout of surprise and feeling hands catch her as she collapsed, falling to the darkness as her mind went blank.

Chapter Text

Chapter Sixteen: Intimate Moments

”Love is the most powerful essence to ever exist. Strong enough to build near unbreakable bonds, but potent enough to shatter even the strongest of hearts.”

“Oh my goodness, is she alright?” 

“She’s alright, my love, don’t worry. Her sleeping curse just kicked in.” Darling gave Apple a brilliant smile from across the room, adjusting the unconcious girl in her arms. The daughter of Snow White was in the common room alone; everyone else had already turned in. She'd chosen to wait, hoping beyond hope that her brilliant White Knight would pass through for a goodnight kiss before going on patrol. Having to carry Briar back from downstairs explained why she was later than usual. “Please excuse me for a moment while I deliver her back to Ashlynn. I’m sure she’s worked herself up into a fuss by now.” 

Apple knew for a fact that Ashlynn was indeed fussing. Not someone who readily embraced deviance from routine, her roommate being missing (again) was enough to set her off. Ash calmed significantly when Apple informed her of Briar’s meeting with the headmistress—it kept her from attacking the fireplace again, at least—but it didn’t stop her anxious pacing back and forth. Farrah was able to coax her back to her own room eventually so she wasn’t wearing holes in the carpet, but Apple was glad Briar had returned so her fickle roommate could finally settle. 

Apple found it charming how close the two had become in just a few days. She supposed it made sense, seeing as they spent so much time in each other's company. But it was curious to note how much of an influence Briar had on Ashlynn, bringing the legacy of Cinderella out of her shell to reveal a glowing soul. Briar was…well, less influenced. But Apple did notice a difference in her too. The future Sleeping Beauty was more relaxed in Ashlynn’s presence, her thorns not quite so sharp and her face not so tired. 

Apple wished she had the same luck. Unfortunately though, Briar didn’t seem nearly as keen about their friendship. She was decently friendly (as friendly as someone like Briar could be), and she was comfortable enough with Darling to bicker like a pair of magpies. Yet she didn’t let her guard down in Apple’s presence, not ever. She was always so tense, like she was expecting to get bit. Apple didn’t understand why, nor how to rectify the situation. Even worse was that Lizzie Hearts had somehow worked her way into Briar’s good graces before she did. 

What was she doing wrong? 

The feeling of arms coming to rest over her shoulders broke the spell of her thoughts. Tilting her head backwards, she was staring into the clear face of her true love. “Hello.” 

“Hello to you too,” Darling laughed, tilting her head curiously. “You looked very deep in thought just now.” 

“It’s nothing that can’t wait,” Apple sighed, something warm pooling in her cheeks. “Can you spare a moment for me, Knight Shining Star?” 

Darling smiled, jumping over the back of the sofa in a single elegant leap. She scooped Apple into her arms, walking them back into her dorm and closing the door. They didn’t even make it to the bed. Darling’s breath was hot on Apple’s skin as she pulled down the hem of her loose nightshirt, kissing the hollow of her throat and along her collarbone. The princess whined a touch as she was pressed against the nearest wall, her body thrumming with a deep, indescribable need. 

“…pages, Darling,” she rasped, shivering as a calloused hand settled on her waist, the other pinning her arm. Darling was very good as a Knight, but she was equally skilled in other areas too. Her lips knew all the right places, biting and suckling and kissing, Apple’s heart drumming against the inside of her chest. They never surpassed this point, as it was improper before her fairytale ending. But some nights—one’s like this—where the thoughts and worries were overpowering, Apple ached for more. 

The chiming of the clock broke the moment in half. Darling gently set her back down, both of them panting and red as she ruffled her white and blue hair, licking her lips. “I have to report soon.” 

“You could stay,” Apple wheezed, no doubt needing a good whiff of her inhaler. “Just this once?” 

“You know I’d love too,” Darling wrapped an arm about her waist, swaying them in a musicless waltz. “But I have to report. You know that.” 

“I know.” Apple rested her head on Darling’s chest, listening to her heartbeat. “I feel like you’ve been so far away since school started. I hardly see you anymore.” 

Darling chuckled. “You see me every day.” 

“Yes. But I want to see more of you,” Apple smiled, gently using her thumbs to feel the skin just above Darling’s waistband. “I know there are new scars you haven’t shown me yet.” 

“After dragging myself through the bramble woods to fetch a prickly legacy? I have quite a few.” 

“Stay, then. I’ll vouch for you.” 

“You know I can’t do that, Apple.” 

“You’re so stubborn.” Jutting out her lower lip, Apple accepted the light kiss Darling placed on her forehead, then another on her lips. “I want more time.” 

“We’ll have happily ever after to be together, my dear. We just have to be patient.” 

“I don’t want to be patient,” Apple complained, heaving a tired breath. “I dream of the day you kiss me awake, Darling. I want it more than anything.” 

“It will come. And when it does, I will be there. Of that, I already promised you. I have to go, my love.” 

“I love you, Darling. With my everything.” 

“My heart and soul,” Darling kissed her lips again, running a longing hand through her blonde curls as she stepped away. “Goodnight, Apple. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

Standing against the wall, Apple shuttered a breath as Darling left, quietly closing the door behind her. Something hot burned in her eyes as she did, those moonlit curls vanishing from sight instead of being tangled in her fingers. 

“Curses,” Apple spat through her teeth, the corners of her eyes watering as she went to the washroom, taking a breath of the inhaler which waited in the cabinet. Staring at herself in the mirror, the welts her lover left behind were already beginning to rise. Apple traced around them lovingly, crossing her legs and leaning against the sink to ease the fire which had ignited in the deepest parts of her soul. She wanted Darling now. Waiting for her happily ever after was just too long. Groaning in frustration, Apple wandered back out into her room, standing in the middle of the floor. 

She felt so listless. 

Sleep was a million miles away, and there was already a new dress for Briar waiting on the mannequin for fitting. Thinking of heading up the bed alone made something unpleasant crawl under her skin. Apple clenched her fists frustratedly, trying a few meditative breaths to calm her nerves. Relax. Calm. Poise. Something purple flashed through the skin of her eyelids. Cracking one open to see what it was, a little purple butterfly had found its way into her room. Gasping in surprise, Apple held out a hand, letting the small piece of magic land on the tip of her finger. 

Raven. 

Tossing on her light night shawl, Apple opened up her vanity drawer, removing a small bag of silvery powder. Mother had given her the dust when school started to help quell her late nights. It was just a mild sleeping enchantment; inhale the smallest amount and its lights out. She’d used it in the tea their first night and it worked wonders. Pocketing the bag, Apple left the dorm in a hurry. No one was around to stop her as she padded down the hall, though the magical barrier, and up the curling staircase towards the tower. She stopped a few steps short, careful not to start wheezing as she opened her bag. Sprinkling a small handful of dust into her palm, she blew it up towards the guards keeping watch. 

The yawns started soon after, followed by the clattering of armor as they collapsed to the floor in sleep. Rounding the corner and pocketing her bag again, Apple knelt to steal the key waiting on one of the watchers' belts, unlocking the heavy wood door before quickly closing it behind her. Raven was waiting for her at the bars. 

“You came fast.” 

“Shut up.” Apple hurried to the gate, unlocking it and slipping into the cell. Slamming the door behind her as it locked, Raven stared at her with huge and startled eyes. “I just…I need you to…I need something…please…” Apple didn’t have the right words. She stumbled and sputtered, closing the space between her and her new company, grabbing onto her clothes with both fists. “Please.” 

“You need to calm down,” Raven told her, grunting as Apple forced her against the nearest wall. “Apple, you have to relax.” 

“I can’t!” She didn’t mean to lose her composure, but this thing inside her was driving her crazy. “I need…I need…” 

The hug wasn’t what Apple was thinking of. Based on their last conversation, Apple didn’t think Raven wanted anything to do with her. But her grip was firm and her arms were sturdy as Apple’s tears bubbled to the surface. She wept, pathetically and angrily into Raven’s chest, still clinging to her clothes. The raging need died in her stomach, the tingling of her spine settled. She could breathe again, shuttering deep, labored inhales. 

“Are you ok now?” 

Raven’s voice was much deeper in her chest than Darling’s, reverberating across her ribs like a drum. “Apple? Are you ok?” 

“F-fine, I’m fine.” 

“Where’s your inhaler? You’re wheezing.” 

“I’ll take another breath later. Just…please don’t let go.” 

Raven complied, one of her fingers mindlessly twirling Apple’s blonde curls. The comfort was familiar, as they’d done this a million times before. Her heart finally settled as she swallowed her tears, slowly uncurling her grip and lifting her head. Raven was just as stunning in the moonlight as she remembered. “Hi.” 

“Hey,” the future Evil Queen tipped her head. “Want to share with the class?” 

“Not really,” Apple wiped a hand across her face, regretting not bringing her inhaler. She sounded like a kazoo. “Sorry.” 

Raven didn’t reply right away, taking her in with one wide gaze. Something settled on her face then, though Apple couldn’t quite place the emotion. 

“I see you and Darling were busy.” 

“Just a bit of intimacy, nothing more.” Apple brushed off her night shirt, pulling it over the shoulder that bolstered a cherry red bite mark. 

“You‘re overstimulated, I can see it all over your face,” Raven pointed out, waving her fingers. “You match your name.” 

“Oh, zip it,” Apple spat, still too raw and irritable as she dragged both hands through her hair. “Pages.” 

“You really are having a bad night.” Raven lifted her hands, smirking where she still leaned against the wall. “Sorry I called you.” 

“It was perfect timing, actually,” Apple sniffed, rubbing a finger under her eye to rid it of watery eyeliner. “What did you need?” 

“I…well…wanted to apologize.” 

“Apologize?” Apple paused her attempt at tidying herself, frowning. “For what?” 

“For what I did at the assembly? I…I realize now that this is my destiny and I need to follow it. You know, for the sake of our story.” 

“You do?” Apple opened her mouth a bit in surprise. Was she hearing this right? Raven was changing her mind. “That’s…that’s fableous, Raven. I’m so proud of you.” 

“Yeah. But…” 

“But? N-no, no ‘but’s’,” running to grab Raven’s hands, Apple clasped them in hers. “Tell me. What can I do to help you with this? Whatever you need.” 

“I just, I’m not very good at being evil.” 

“Well…no, you’re not,” Apple winced, shaking her head. “But that’s ok, you can get better. We have time.” 

“Not if I’m always stuck up here,” Raven complained, waving to her tower. “I mean, I get it. Most evil of them all gets a tower all to herself. But I really should be learning something at Ever After, right?” 

“Right! Yes, of course. You want to attend classes? Be around the other villain legacies?” 

“That was sorta what I was hoping for,” Raven admitted, shrugging. “I mean, I’m not learning much sitting here all day twiddling my thumbs.” 

Hope soared in Apple’s heart, overpowering the twisting in her stomach. “Not to worry, Raven. I’ll handle everything, you’ll be out of here and in the classroom by tomorrow morning!” 

“You think the Queen will allow it?” 

“I know she’ll allow it. I’ll make her allow it. Thank you so much, Raven, you’re going to be a great Evil Queen.” Leaning forward, Apple wasn’t even thinking. She kissed the girl on the mouth, fearlessly and sure. This left the witch stiff as she turned tail, leaving the tower room and locking it behind her. “Don’t worry about a thing. You’ll be out in two shakes of a fox tail.” 

Hurrying from the tower, Apple tossed the key back at the guards, running barefoot down the steps. Her feet slapped against the marble floors as she sprinted, once again regretting her decision not to bring her inhaler. Stopping in front of her mother’s door, the office was open a crack. Lifting a hand to knock, Apple paused, two voices speaking inside. 

“…I don’t trust those exchange students, Milton.” Her mother’s cloak was shifting, meaning she was in the process of pacing. “The White Queen assured me that we’d have destiny students from the White Court attending this year. It was part of the deal.”

“A mere mix-up, your highness,” Vice Headmaster Grimm replied. “It’s only been a few days. Perhaps the Red Queen is finally coming around to the idea of destiny.”

“Andesine is a foolish ruler with equally foolish laws, she’d never bend to our ways without force. Those from the Red Court are not welcome in Ever After and she knows it. Yet they step foot here anyway.” 

“But for what purpose, then, your majesty?” 

“I can’t say, but the Red Queen knows the rules in place between our worlds. I cannot banish her students—her daughter— without sending us to war. I didn’t even know Andesine had a daughter.” 

“Elizabeth is certainly a surprise to us all, including the White Queen.” 

“How is it possible not to know you had a niece?” The Queen scoffed in annoyance. “A daring political movie by the Red Court. Perhaps, in some sense, a declaration of war on their side.”  

Headmaster Grimm hummed in his throat. “Certainly not a battle we’d win without help from the White Queen and her army.” 

“Ivory is a sniveling coward. She failed at her end of the deal, leaving us with possible spies and troublemakers in our midst.” 

“What do you propose then, your majesty?” 

“I was thinking of planting a spy in Wonderland, just to keep an eye on what’s happening there.” 

Headmaster Grimm huffed, though it sounded like more of a choke. “Is that wise, your majesty? It’s not safe for outsiders to spy in Wonderland. If caught by the Red Queen, heads would certainly roll.” 

“Yes. That’s why I’d be certain to send the best. Knight Shining Star would not fail me.” 

Apple inhaled sharply, slapping a hand over her mouth. Mother couldn’t send Darling to Wonderland. 

“Wouldn’t that put Apple’s destiny at risk?” Headmaster Grimm asked. 

“No. Knight Shining Star simply won’t get caught. We can place her there indefinitely, to make sure Andesine isn’t planning something.” 

Apple couldn’t breathe. Not just because of what she’d just heard, but because her lungs were on fire. Unable to get enough air with her hand over her mouth, she was forced to release, letting out a horrible, rattling cough. 

“…what was that?” 

Apple couldn’t move. She was stuck, tears once again burning her eyes as she struggled to breathe through her asthma. They couldn’t send Darling away. They just couldn’t.  

“Apple Pie?” Her mother knelt before her, face crinkled in concern as Apple clawed desperately at her throat, heaving for air. “She’s having an attack!” 

It wasn’t long before Apple was in her mothers office, cradled by the plush chairs as she struggled with the secondary inhaler mom kept in her desk drawer. “Shhh, now, shhh it’s ok. Mommy’s here, you’re alright, my little dove.” 

Except it wasn’t alright. Everything was so wrong. They were going to send Darling to Wonderland, where she could possibly die. Apple choked, feeling her mother’s hand on her back as she coughed, tears streaming down her face. 

What was she going to do? 

Chapter Text

Chapter Seventeen: Battle Scars 

“Scars are compendiums of the soul.” 

“Your bones are healing properly, Miss Beauty. The bruises will fade with time, as will the scars.” Madame Yaga poked and prodded as Briar awkwardly stood before her, bare skinned in nothing but a bra and a pair of shorts–both borrowed from Rosabella. Down her left side were the grisly remains of broken ribs, the blossoms of purple and faded pink decorating her hip like a tangle of vines. Small cuts from crawling through Faybelle’s brambles were healing well enough on their own, while the gash in her arm was still angry, stitched to the nines at Darling’s careful hand, but no longer burning with inflammation. 

“So I’ll live, then?” Briar wondered, rolling her shoulders as the witch hummed, narrowing her wrinkled eyes. 

“Yes. Keep out of trouble if you can manage it, and maybe you’ll stay that way.” 

“It seems counterproductive to have a potion that heals broken bones, but not one that can vanish flesh wounds,” Briar noted, stretching with a wide yawn as her stiff morning joints popped and creaked in response. It was still early, just a little while after sunrise. They had come down at Darling’s request, who waited sentinel by Apple’s infirmary bedside. The daughter of Snow White had spent the night out of the dorms, having suffered some sort of breathing attack. Briar didn’t actually know what ‘asthma’ was, but it sounded unpleasant the way Ashlynn described it. Casually bobbing her head around to stretch it, the fresh lash on her neck seared; a harsh reminder of what today would bring. She wasn’t looking forward to private tutoring with the Queen, knowing full well this lash would be one of many. 

“It’s not that simple, child,” Baba Yaga mused from her floating perch, smearing a glob of…something…onto a wooden popsicle stick. “Stay still, please.” 

Briar tilted her head as the witch spread the paste across her newest wound, causing it to tingle. “Bones are the same as puzzle pieces. Snapping them into place with a little magic is an easy feat. But the skin is living, much like us. Magic, at least the sort I do, cannot mimic what nature does on its own.” 

“Is there magic that can heal skin?” 

“There is, but it’s very rare and equally forbidden. Even nature has its limits, and it’s not our place to try and control it.” 

“Wise words,” Briar mused, smirking. “My mother said something similar.” 

“Rose Beauty was a wise woman,” Baba Yaga muttered, brushing off her hands. “I met her once, you know. Sweet girl.” 

“I wish I knew mom before she got sick,” Briar sighed, dropping her hair to let it fall across her shoulders. “What was she like?” 

“Hmm. Rose Beauty was beautiful, smart, feisty too, a trait which she apparently passed to you.” Madame Yaga smiled, though something sad flickered across her face. “It never did sit well with her, waking up to marry a stranger. Losing all she knew to the enchanted death.” 

Briar felt her brows furrow as she perched on a nearby footboard, tilting her head in curiosity. “She was in love with my father though, wasn’t she?” 

“Oh very much, dear. But…well, it’s not really my place to speculate, but I think it took longer than first sight for that to happen.” 

“So it wasn’t true love?” 

“All love can be true love, Briar. But love at first sight is very rare, even in fairytales. Love and trust can be built between hearts with time and patience, even between two people who may not seem obvious at first. Your mother loved your father very much by the time I met her. And, from that love came you, the spitting image of your parents with a fire to match. I’m sure wherever Rose is now, she’s looking upon you with pride, knowing your heart burns the same way her’s did.” 

Briar felt something hard catch in her throat at the words, pursing her lips to keep them from trembling. It had been a long time since someone had spoken so gently with her; she was used to the chasteness of pretty lies and fairytales. Feeling Baba Yaga’s crooked hand gently cradling her cheek, the witch’s face crinkled into something deeply kind. “It’s alright, child. Here in this room, the perils of the world aren’t quite so burdensome, hm?” 

“Thank you, Madame Yaga,” Briar croaked out, feeling tears burn across her eyelids. They were the first tears shed at Ever After, her heart having numbed itself to the idea of being a prisoner. The weight those tears shed was immense as she took a moment to breathe, wiping her face and ruffling a hand through her hair. The weight would return, but for the moment, she felt lighter, even if only slightly. 

“Sixteen is too young to carry the weight of the world,” Baba Yaga complained faintly, shaking her head. “But destiny is deeply unfair that way. Now, I’d like to not see you again in my office for at least another week, if you can help it.” 

Briar chuckled dryly, running a finger along her bottom lid to chase away its teary shine. She wouldn’t be able to hide it from Ashlynn, but she could try (and maybe get lucky, though probably not). Rising to her feet and taking another stretch, Baba Yaga kept a hand at the small of her back as she was escorted back out into the main office. The light had changed, shifting from the faint rays of a new day to the overbearing golden glow of morning. At one end of the room, Apple was sitting up in bed, a bit paler than normal, but looking well and perky as usual. Her consciousness seemed to bring Darling some comfort, as the white knight was smiling, though only just. 

However, it was not her friends that held Briar’s attention. At the other end of the room, sitting towards the wall and behind a familiar barrier, was Faybelle. She was in a similar dress as Briar herself, showing off her faint, blue tinted skin and the rise and fall of bones. Without much thought on if it was a good idea or not, Briar veered towards her. It was curious that Baba Yaga didn’t try to stop her, but then again, the barrier was there for a reason. Stepping as close to the magical wall as she dared, Briar observed in silence how Faybelle’s wings attached to her back, piercing through the skin like blades of glass. 

The hole Briar had given her was still ever present, though hardly as ragged and angry as before. 

“Ever heard of privacy, Princess?” Faybelle’s voice was filled with nothing but tired vitriol as she glanced over her shoulder. There were dark circles under her eyes, meaning sleep was lacking. 

“You wanted to see the damage you caused,” Briar shrugged, frowning. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” 

“And give you any sort of satisfaction for getting lucky? Please.” 

“It’s really a work of art, what you did,” Briar goaded her, tilting her head. “A mosaic of bruising only a dark fairy could manage. It would be a shame if you didn’t get to see what you created.” 

Faybelle said nothing, not turning from the wall with her hands clenched in the sheets of her cot. Briar shrugged. “Your loss.” Moving to walk away, Faybelle’s call stopped her. 

“Wait.” Turning, the fairy was waiting at the barrier, arms awkwardly crossed in front of her. “Show me.” 

Briar waved a hand. “You first.” 

Faybelle seemed unwilling at first, but she eventually unfolded herself, setting both hands on her hips instead. There was mottled darkness up the front of her stomach and down her side, perhaps where Briar had knelt on her chest. The fairy’s skin was so pale she could see dark blue veins running through it, carrying blood from one place to another. Faybelle, despite her size, was surprisingly well-worked. She had muscles, impressive ones, even if they didn’t look to be on her short frame. Briar had little doubt she was just as strong as she seemed. “Like what you see?” The fairy asked, noticing Briar’s shameless eyes. “Your turn, Princess.” 

Pivoting to show Faybelle her left side, the fairy blinked in awe, squatting to lean over her knees. Her own slate eyes took Briar in, up and down, not saying a word. The coldness caused prickles to vibrate up Briar’s skin, though, the sensation wasn’t one of hatred or discomfort. Having not spent much time around other people besides her brothers, it was hard to describe the feeling in words. 

“You wear it well, at least,” Faybelle said eventually, returning to her standing position. “How many did I break?” 

“Two,” Briar replied without missing a beat, lifting her fingers. “If you’ve never had bones snapped back into place with magic, it sucked. Wouldn’t recommend it. What about your wing?” 

“Fairy wings are durable,” Faybelle shrugged, resting back on her hips. “They don’t heal fast; it could take months. But it’ll grow back.” 

“You still can’t fly?”

“No, thanks to you,” the fairy scoffed, though it lacked the usual malice. The wings fluttered a bit, perhaps a reaction to being mentioned out loud, before settling. They really were beautiful to look at, like stained glass. With Faybelle’s seemingly amiable mood (perhaps she just wasn’t a morning person), Briar felt unusually bold. 

“Can I see?” 

“My wings?” Faybelle arched an elegant brow. “Why?” 

“My mother spoke of her dark fairies wings sometimes, when I was still young,” Briar told her honestly. “She claimed they refracted light into rainbows. To her, they were beautiful enough to remember, even after one-hundred-years. I want to know if it’s true.” 

“Your heart is so soft inside that prickly shell,” Faybelle commented, again, lacking its usual bite. “My wings don’t make rainbows.” 

Taking a step back into a beam coming in through one of the high windows, the glow caught in Faybelle’s span. Across the floor, a vibrant blue pattern was cast, shifting and sparkling like ice. It reminded Briar instantly of home, of the ice sheets which formed between the bramble bushes during the winter. 

“Wow…” 

“No fae has the same wings,” Faybelle muttered, settling the appendages as the icicle pattern vanished from the floor. Briar nodded her understanding, pulling her hair over one shoulder and turning her back. This revealed one of her biggest battle scars. It was wide and white, curling up the backside of her ribs and along the interior bend of her shoulder blade. 

“This one almost killed me,” she said, allowing Faybelle a good look at the scar as she tilted her head curiously at it. 

“What happened?” 

“My first day alone hunting in the brambles. The sleeping curse—the enchanted death—runs through my blood. I collapsed at just the wrong time and went over a cliff edge. My father had to pull me out, I was bedridden for months.” 

“So, you’ve felt my mothers magic already?” Faybelle puzzled, frowning. “But our story hasn’t started yet.” 

“The first story never ended,” Briar shrugged. “Every first daughter in my family became Sleeping Beauty’s legacy. Every first daughter suffers the same curse. It’s been that way for generations.” 

“Huh.” It was the only response Faybelle gave. Blinking as Baba Yaga appeared beside her, Faybelle’s wings fluttered in annoyance. “Madame Yaga,” she greeted. “Can we get this over with already?” 

“Of course, dear.” The witch snapped her fingers as the barrier vanished. Brair heard the sharp gasps of her friends behind her ears, but ignored them. She and Faybelle stared at one another, completely exposed, just like at the assembly. “If you’ll follow me.” 

Faybelle sniffed, taking a careful step forward, followed by another and another. Briar remained very still, keeping her calm and refusing to twitch. Thankfully the amiable mood between them held firm as the dark fairy passed by, the two girls practically brushing shoulders. Turning her head at just the right time, Briar got to see into Faybelle’s gray eyes up close. They were bright and deep, a ring of rich sapphire blue staining their edges. 

Blue eyes, Briar realized. Not gray. 

Inhaling deeply as the skin on their arms touched, it was electric. Sure they had been close—Briar had sat on Faybelle’s chest only days ago—but this was different. Something shifted in her, an unfamiliar twist that made her lungs rattle. It wasn’t fear, she knew what fear felt like. This was something else…what was it? 

The moment was just that; a moment. Not even a second, really, as Faybelle vanished into the side room with Baba Yaga. She smelled faintly of mint. Briar opened her eyes, releasing the breath she’d been keeping. 

Pages. 

“Briar?” 

A hand landed on her shoulder, shaking her from the spell as she pivoted. Darling was there, her fine brows ruffled in confusion. “You’re really pale. Are you ok?” 

“Fine.” Briar flexed her hand, still feeling the small tingles that Faybelle left on her skin. What was that? “Just…fine.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Eighteen: Playing with Fire

"When you play with fire, you're bound to get burned." 

“Why didn’t you kill her!” 

“You had a wide open shot!” 

“You idiot, you’ll be stuck as some no-name dark fairy forever at this rate.” 

Faybelle hated all the little voices in her head. They were a persnickety bunch, chattering away like a crowd of dozens in her ears. They never ceased their bellyaching, not even in dreams where they whispered nasty things into her mind. She hadn’t slept well in years; or at least, not since her mother died. Mother was always good at chasing the dark thoughts away. 

“All of you, shut up,” Faybelle hissed, leaning over her steepled hands as she massaged her temples. “Just, shut up.” 

“You’re pathetic.” 

“You could’ve ended her then and there.” 

“I know.” Faybelle twitched unpleasantly, grinding her fangs together until her jaw muscles ached. “I should’ve killed her.” 

“And yet you didn’t. You flirted.” 

Faybelle hissed, letting the sound rattle in her lungs. She hated arguing with herself; it made her feel like a nutjob. “I wasn’t flirting,” she snarled at the voices. “I want to do this at the right time. It needs to be right. You all know that.” 

“You don’t really want to kill her.” 

“Yes, I do. This legacy needs to die, and I will be the one to end it. My destiny is not to be speared by some loser on a horse. I won’t allow it…I won’t go down like mother did.” 

“You failed, Faybelle, just admit it. You’ll never be as strong as your lineage .” 

“I said shut up!” Rising from her place, Faybelle felt her powers flare up. They burned in her as naturally as her temper, expelling from her fingertips in static bolts. This was a bad move. The magic, once so fluid and easy to use, was trapped under the silver coating up to her elbows, teal electricity zapping her instead of destroying the table, like she wanted. Yelping in pain as her own magic zapped her back to focus, Faybelle quickly reeled in her anger, settling the frantic beating of her wings as she winced. She hated Ever After. What a wonderful day when she would watch the whole thing burn to the ground. “ Pages,” she spat, leaning over her elbows as she opened her palms. They were faintly smoking through the metallic gloves.  

When she was free, Queen Snow White would regret ever binding her magic this way. She would be the first to go, Faybelle would make sure of it. 

“You’re all flustered. What gives?” 

Glancing up from her deep breathing exercises, Fayeblle scowled at her roommate and current companion at the lunch table. Duchess Swan was…interesting, to say the least. She was pretty and fair, sickly green-brown eyes the color of pond moss. She didn’t really belong anywhere at Ever After, seeing as her fairytale was a tragedy. Faybelle envied her ability to pass through the magical barriers around the school, picking and choosing at her whim whether to be black or white. Today, she was a black swan, the form she preferred. Duchess ran her wicked nails across the woodgrain, tapping a little musical riff while she spoke. “You’ve been all weird since this morning.” 

“I’m not weird,” Faybelle mumbled, sitting back with a sigh and dragging a hand through her pale bangs. “I just hate this place and I want to watch it burn.” 

“If that isn’t the understatement of the year.” Duchess laughed, though it sounded more like a honking noise as she twirled a strand of black hair around her finger. “Let me guess, you’re thinking about Briar again.” 

“No.” 

“You only get this way when she’s around,” Duchess pointed out casually, walking a hand up her bare leg. Why she didn’t choose to wear actual clothes on occasion rather than just a leotard? Faybelle had no idea. Being so exposed and constantly cold would drive her crazy. But then again, she hadn’t actually seen her roommate in anything else, so perhaps it was simply what she liked. She certainly didn’t mind flashing her skin around. “Did something happen today that I don’t know about?” 

“It’s not any of your business.” 

“It is my business,” the black swan complained, her eyes flickering into flat obsidian disks before returning to their usual murky green. A sign of her dark intentions, Faybelle knew. It’s why she put up with Duchess. She was evil to her core with a few white feathers here and there. “We made a deal.” 

“Yeah, and you screwed it up.” 

“I have plenty more chances,” Duchess mumbled, leaning backwards and stretching her leg straight up towards the ceiling. The glimmer of a silver blade in the shape of a feather was hidden  just out of sight, strapped casually to one thigh. Faybelle rolled her eyes at the display. Subtlety wasn’t really the Swan Princesses thing. “No one knows it was me. I’m good at keeping a low profile.” 

“Not if you keep flashing your thighs at people,” Faybelle bit out in irritation, lifting her lip as she leaned on her open palm. “You had a perfect shot and you missed.” 

“Briar’s fast, I’ll give her that. She still would’ve died if she didn’t have so many people around her all the time. I’m not exactly a professional assassin here.” 

“I gave you just enough poison to do the job and now it’s gone,” Faybelle complained, glancing awkwardly over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening. “No. The deal is off, I’ll handle this myself.” 

“I don’t need your permission to kill the daughter of roses, Faybelle,” Duchess reminded her, arching an elegant brow. Her ruby lips curled into a vicious sneer as she honked out her laugh again. “Once Briar’s out of the picture, I can slip into place as Sleeping Beauty. One-hundred-years is nothing to me, so long as I get a happy ending.” 

Faybelle lowered her brows, hands curling into fists. “You kill her, I’ll kill you. Got it?” 

“Please, like you would.” 

Faybelle saw red. Anger made her blood run as she leapt over the table in a single elegant motion, taking Duchess by the neck. The girl huffed as she was slammed against the nearest wall, causing the mortar to crack. “I can ,” the dark fairy hissed in warning, poking a nail into the swan-girls soft throat. “Test me, and you’ll be a pillow on my bed for the next eternity.” 

“You don’t scare me, Faybelle,” Duchess croaked, though her fearful eyes didn’t match her words. “This partnership benefits both of us and you know it.” 

“This partnership is out of convenience and nothing more. If I could pass through the barriers like you do, you’d already be dead to me. Don’t forget who’s in charge here, Swan.” 

Duchess rolled her eyes, clawing at Faybelle’s hands as she struggled to catch a breath. 

“Faybelle, let her go. Now.” Pages. Growling past her fangs in irritation, Faybelle released her grip, allowing Duchess to crumple to the floor. Turning, Darling Charming was standing before her, sword drawn. Not this broad again.  

“Your knightlyness,” she greeted with a mock bow, hoisting an unpleasant lip. “What can I do for you?” 

“Attacking another student is prohibited by the Queen,” the Royal said, tone flat as Faybelle shrugged. 

“It wasn’t really ‘attacking’. We were just having a conversation, right, Duchess?” 

“Tell me about it,” the Swan complained, rubbing her bright red throat with a cough. Darling didn’t seem willing to accept the answer as she scowled. 

“You know the rules, Faybelle.” 

“Oh yes, because villains are naturally rule-followers. Please, Darling, get off your high horse,” taking a step around the pseudo-knight, Faybelle checked the girls shoulder with her own. “Tell me, how’s your little squad doing over there on the other side of the barrier? Living the dream?” 

“It’s none of your concern,” Darling frowned, sheathing her weapon but keeping a firm grip on its hilt. “Your friendships are here on this side.” 

“We don’t make friends. More like…unwilling alliances. Friends are weak and stab you in the back the first chance they get.” Faybelle sighed, playing with her ponytail as she mock-stretched her arms. “What about Apple? I heard through the grapevine that she had a bit of trouble last night. Any particular reason?” 

Darling twitched. “Apple isn’t any of your business, either.” 

“Oh, touched a nerve, didn’t I? Not all sunshine and rainbows over there, is it?” 

“Don’t think I didn’t see you talking to Briar this morning, Faybelle,” Darling shot back, hoisting a fine brow. “What was that all about?” 

“Hmm? Oh, you know, idle chatter. Girl stuff.” 

“You don’t really do idle chatter.” 

“What can I say? I’m not much of an early bird. Maiming is more of an…afternoon…activity?”

“You aren’t getting soft for her, are you?” 

“Me? Soft? Please,” Faybelle tossed her head with a bark of cruel laughter. “Killing is an art form. That girl will be painting my palms crimson when I get the chance. As a knight, I’d think you’d know that feeling.” 

Darling twitched again as Faybelle smiled, something triumphant blazing to life in her gut. She loved ruining people’s day; Darling in particular was incredibly fun to bully from time to time, even if it was a bit more work to get her to crack. 

“Being a knight is honorable,” she argued. “We are peacekeepers, not killers.” 

“If you say so. Martyring yourself for a half-baked Queen who doesn’t give a flying page about you? Sure. If that’s how you want to spend your time.” 

Darling’s jaw flexed, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword just a bit tighter. The conversation was cut shot as the doors opened with a loud, echoing creak. Attention drawn by the sound of rattling chains, Faybelle frowned as Raven Queen was brought into the Castleteria. 

“Well, well, look who’s finally being dragged out of the tower,” Duchess commented, folding her arms as a hush fell over the other villain-legacies. “What gives?” 

“Raven has sworn an oath to evil,” Darling muttered, not sounding too happy about the news. “She’ll be attending classes to perfect her villainy.” 

“But she’s weak,” Faybelle complained, recalling the little show she put on at the assembly. Or, rather, lack of one. “Why bother?” 

“Because it is her who will one day allow Apple to ascend the throne,” Darling mused, brows furrowing as the girls chains were removed and she was given a shove forward. The Charming girl pivoted elegantly, poking a finger in Faybelle’s face. “Don’t kill her.” 

Faybelle snorted and set her weight on one hip. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Princess Killjoy. Targeting weak things isn’t really my style. Not enough bite, you know?” Grinning, she glanced towards the barrier instead. “I prefer a challenge, anyway.” 

“Leave Briar alone,” Darling warned, no doubt following her line of sight. “Keep to your side.” 

“Like I have a choice.” 

Watching Darling purse her lips, the lady-knight walked off to where Raven was now sitting, probably to interrogate her. Duchess, still lingering nearby, swept herself to Faybelle’s right shoulder.

“What do you think this is about?” She whispered, trepidation lacing her tone. “Some kind of trap? Maybe a test?” 

“No way. Raven Queen is as tough as a wet cardboard box. Maybe the tower was finally getting to her and she was, you know…” Faybelle made a circular motion by her ear. Duchess laughed at the joke, glancing over her shoulder towards the legacy of the Evil Queen. 

“Do you really think she pledged to be evil?” 

“None of us really have that choice,” Faybelle shrugged, turning to the barrier again and allowing her lips to curl. “I’m going to go see what those royals are up to.” 

Duchess scoffed but followed, joining her at the wall. “Why do you care so much, anyway?” 

“About?” 

“About them. About her. You get to send her into a hundred-year sleep, isn’t that what you want?” 

“What I want is to be feared,” Faybelle hissed, squinting through the haze of pink magic. She could just see the back of Briar’s hair in the crowd, narrowing her gaze at the brunette strands, wishing they would catch fire. She could still see the scar on her back, curling like a white streak of lightning around her shoulder blade. It was a beautiful wound, one that left an equally magnificent scar. It was a shame Briar covered it. 

“Faybelle.” 

“Huh?” 

“You zoned out,” Duchess complained. “You didn’t finish your thought.” 

“There was no more thought. I want to be feared. Getting kabobbed by some weirdo with a hero complex isn’t going to do that for me. Besides, what’s the point of sending some prickly princess into an eternal sleep if she gets woken up and whisked off into luxury? That’s why you want to take her place, isn’t it?” 

"Anything is better than the ending I’ve been promised,” Duchess muttered, glaring at a few royals who happened to catch her eye. “Killing myself for some guy I barely know? Hardly the way I’d like to go out.” 

“True love is a real thorn in the spine,” Faybelle mocked, leaning her weight against the barrier. She could feel it’s magic tingling through her skin, tickling the darkness in her stomach. It was pure magic, something she couldn’t cross or destroy even if she wanted too. 

“Briar’s looking at you again.” 

“Let her,” Faybelle smirked, hoisting her chin to meet the dark, marble eyes of her arch enemy. The legacy of Sleeping Beauty didn’t even twitch at being watched; merely held her gaze as steady and even as a statue. She had certainly been blessed with her heritage's known strengths. Pretty in face, certainly elegant, the kind of Princess knights fawned over. Yet up close she was more like an old fence post left to rot. Her skin was covered in scars, her heart splintering from neglect. Sturdy…but falling apart inside. Closing her eyes briefly, Faybelle imagined how she looked that morning. Limber, well toned and rippling with muscle, yet still bony and poking out in all the wrong places. Her stare was dark, brows pulled down into an expression of hate. 

In another world–in another time, perhaps–they could’ve made good allies. Faybelle liked Briar’s fire; she poked at it every chance she got, just to see it burn. Not many Princesses could offer her the same kind of entertainment. Yet her mother’s words rang in her ears, even after so much time:

Play around with fire, Faybelle, and you’re bound to get burned. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Nineteen: Letters & Lies 

"Don't mistake joy for madness, it will always end in tragedy." 

Briar flexed her hands, feeling the deep cuts gouged into her knuckles as they stretched and burned. She certainly hadn’t kept her promise to Baba Yaga, though this time, the wounds weren’t due to her own foolishness. Private tutoring with the Queen had gone as well as she expected, which was, unfortunately, not well. Her mom, though dead and buried, had taught her many things. How to be a proper lady wasn’t on that very short list. Rubbing her hands together as she walked away from the Headmistresses office, faint speckles of blood smeared in grotesque streaks across her fingertips. 

What was she going to tell Ashlynn? 

The answer to that was simple enough; she wouldn’t tell Ashlynn. But such a thing was easier said than done as her roommate had a keen eye for details. Obvious wounds across her hands would draw suspicion and send the legacy of Cinderella into a worried fit. And worrying Ash was the last thing Briar wanted to do. So lost in her own thoughts on the matter, she didn’t notice someone following her till a hand grabbed her arm. Whirling on the attacker purely on instinct (there was still an assassin on the loose, after all), Maddie was faster than she looked, ducking to one side as broken nails nearly clawed her across the cheek. 

“Pages, Maddie!” Briar gasped, lassoing her quickly beating heart as she retracted her hand. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. I could’ve hurt you.” 

“Wowie, you’re super-fast,” the legacy of the Mad Hatter laughed, seemingly unbothered that she nearly had her eyes taken out. “Didn’t mean to catch you by surprise.” 

“I’m just a little on edge, sorry,” Briar apologized, once again grabbing her knuckles to stem the oozing. Maddie tilted her head at the wounds, teal brows rising up into her equally colorful hairline. “Tutoring with the Queen. It didn’t, uh…go well.” 

“People cloaked in white tend to have the blackest hearts,” Maddie sighed, reaching into her pocket and removing two boldly colored handkerchiefs. “Here, let me.”

Accepting the help, Briar watched the girl gently wrap her knuckles, making sure the cloth was nice and tight around her hands. “There. Right as rain and colorful to match.” 

“Thank you,” stretching her hands to make sure the bandaging wouldn’t slip off (Maddie did a surprisingly thorough job), Briar tilted her head in question. “Why were you following me?” 

“Oh! Lizzie sent me to you,” Maddie admitted, rolling back on her heels with a manic, toothy grin. “Her life deck thought you might need my help tonight.” 

“Your help?” 

“Mmhm. So, I’m here to help! What can I do for you?”

“I don’t…” Briar paused, glanced around at the empty corridor. She was out past curfew already, having stayed late in the Queen’s office for ‘special lessons’. Why balancing books on her head and holding teacups mattered, she had no idea. But, seeing as she was already out after dark without a chaperone, maybe Lizzie was right? “How did Lizzie know I needed you?” 

“When you get good enough with a life deck, it’s easy to see the trajectory of the future,” Maddie chirped, grabbing onto Briar’s bent arm. “So, what are we doing?” 

“The Queen was foolish enough to let me leave her office without an escort. I think this is as good a time as any to check out the library.” 

“Oooh, are we going to meet your mysterious friend?” 

“That’s what I’m hoping for,” Briar shrugged. “I think it’s this way. Just…stay quiet, ok? Who knows the sort of things that lurk in this place at night.” 

“You betcha, I won’t say a thing.” 

Making a zipping motion across her lips, Maddie continued to fearlessly hold her arm. After only a few steps Briar awkwardly removed her shoes, sighing deeply at how much better they felt to be out of such an extreme arch. Looping the straps around her fingertips, the unlikely pair began to navigate around the dark castle hallways. It was beautiful at night, the white marble catching wayward beams of moonlight. But it reminded Briar too much of that first night. 

What had become of her brothers? 

Feeling Maddie’s hand gently squeeze her forearm, as though sensing her dark thoughts, Briar shook it away. She couldn’t focus on that right now; Darling promised the boys were safe, and she trusted Darling’s word far more than the Queen’s. The double doors leading into the library were monumental, practically reaching up to the ceiling and ornately engraved with scenes Briar didn’t know. The worn door handles had been rubbed down to the brass, shining with patina and warped reflections. 

“This looks like the place.” 

Maddie nodded, holding her vow of silence. In that quiet, Briar felt a presence before she saw it. Her hunter’s instincts made her heckles rise as she ducked, something burying itself into the wood just above her head with a sickening thump . The blade was familiar, silver and shaped like a feather with twin serrated edges. Whipping around, a familiar hooded figure stood at the end of the hall, pale arm still outstretched. 

“You.” 

The assassin said nothing, merely removed another blade, twirling it elegantly in one hand. Briar didn’t actually see Maddie move. She was fast, almost inhumanly so, throwing her hand out as something gold and sharp passed her fingertips. It struck the assassin square in the wrist, sticking deep into the skin as there was a girlish yelp of pain. Briar gasped in surprise, turning to stare at her very unassuming companion. “What was that?” 

“You never know when you’ll need a good hairpin,” the girl laughed, plucking another from inside the front of her vest and juggling it between her fingers. “One between the eyes ought to do it.” 

“Don’t waste your hairpins, Maddie.” 

Briar stepped back quickly, hitting the library door as there was a billow of purple smoke. Kitty smiled up at her, tail curling around her crouched knees. She almost looked…wild, in the dark. More animal than girl, hissing her words as she gouged deep scratches into the pale marble floor. “Allow me . I’m in need of a chase; my muscles are getting sore from all this waiting around.” 

“If you want, Kitty.” 

“Purrfect.” Briar gawked as Kitty flexed her hands, turning her previously small claws into blades. She moved like a shadow, darting down the hall in a blur of purple and pale skin. The assassin, still trying to pull the hairpin out of her hand, screeched and bolted the way she’d come, a billow of white feathers floating in her wake. 

“What the…Maddie?” 

“In here.” Pivoting in surprise, the legacy of the Mad Hatter had already slipped through the library door, excitedly waving a hand. “Come on.” 

“How did you…?” 

“You just weren’t paying attention, silly. Hurry up, someone probably heard all that.” 

Knowing Maddie had a point, Briar ducked through the slightly open doorway, squinting as she stepped inside. It smelled dusty, like it hadn’t been cleaned in ages. It was dark, like the rest of the castle, but the walls were overflowing with wooden shelves and books of varying colors and types. 

“So, what did your friend tell you to do?” 

“Find the most obvious door…?"

“Oh, so, like that one?” 

Following where Maddie was pointing, indeed, there was a very obvious door right in front of them. It didn’t match the rest of the library, small and unassuming. Briar screwed her nose up at it. 

“That’s way too convenient.” 

“I think it’s tea-riffic,” Maddie laughed, practically skipping to the door and giving it a pull. Inside was just a closet, dark and dusty. “Ooo, nothing here. What’s next?” 

“Uh, knock four times, like a heart in love. Whatever that means.” 

“Well, start knocking and see what happens.”

Giving the shorter girl a helpless shrug, Briar hesitantly lifted her hand, knocking four times on the door. Nothing happened. Maybe a different pattern? Continuing to try various knocks, still, nothing came of it. Maddie placed both hands on her hips, hoisting a colorful brow. 

“Have you ever been in love before?” 

“No,” Briar grumbled. “I don’t know anything about that sort of thing.” 

“Weelllll it makes your heart race, annnnd it goes ba-dum, ba-dum right here.” Maddie pointed at Briar’s collar. “You know it when you feel it. And I think you probably do know, just don’t ’know’, you know?” 

“Uh…no?” Briar couldn’t help her scoff of laughter. “But I’ll try again, if that’s what you want.” 

Maddie shrugged with a little grin as Briar reached for the door again. Knock like a heart in love. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Tapping the rhythm, simple and clear, there was a flash as golden light outlined the doorway, framing it in the dark. 

“You did it!” 

“I didn’t think that would actually work,” Briar mumbled, glancing at her hand wearily. “I guess…this is what we’re looking for?” 

“You betcha.” 

Swallowing, Briar took hold of the door handle, pulling it open. Instead of a closet, there was now a single, dark staircase. It didn’t seem to lead anywhere good. But Maddie, fearless, took hold of her elbow, dragging her along. 

“Are you afraid of anything ?” Briar asked her as they descended, the door creaking as it closed and sealed shut behind them. Hopefully this wasn’t some sort of trap or they’d be screwed. 

“You don’t know scary until you’ve spent some time in Wonderland,” Maddie laughed, though there was a distinct edge to it. The same laughter of someone who’d seen too much. 

Briar noticed this about Maddie Hatter, though she would never speak aloud on it. True, she was full of laughter and smiles, but those sorts of things could be deceptive. There was a difference, after all, between joy and madness. The few moments of lucidity Briar had experienced from her current companion were sobering, to say the least. She feared Maddie being serious almost as much as she feared Queen Snow White being kind. 

“Ah! Ah!” Jumping at the new voice which echoed through the chamber, Briar held up a hand as golden light suddenly assaulted her eyes. In the middle of an open chamber, one that was crammed with things from carpets to chest of drawers, a wild looking man held his hands up excitedly. “Feathers and friends! Together. Hello.” 

“He’s speaking riddlish!” Maddie chirped, clapping her hands together. “You did need me today. He says hello.” 

“Oh, uh…hi.” Giving the stranger a cautious wave, the man smiled, his face worn but kindly. Unlike most people at Ever After, he didn’t seem dangerous. Though, she knew never to trust only appearances. “Who are you, exactly?” 

“A man of many things; buttons, pens and rings.” 

“He says his name is Giles.” 

Briar screwed up her face. “How did you get Giles out of that?” 

“Hey , Riddlish isn’t an exact language,” Maddie complained, crossing her eyes in annoyance. “Be nice.” 

“Trying to be. So, Giles, who exactly are you?” 

Though the conversation going forward was complete gibberish to Briar’s ear, Maddie seemed to have no trouble at all. This was Giles Grimm, younger brother to the Vice Headmaster. He’d been locked under the school for…reasons, which Maddie couldn’t seem to get out of him, and had been living amongst the junk. “Wait, but how did you deliver your note if you can’t leave this room?” 

Giles clapped, hurrying forward to grab a large sheet. With a flourish he pulled it down, casting dust onto their heads. Underneath was a giant mirror, shimmering in a bronzy frame. “Mirror this!” 

“He says he uses the mirror,” Maddie translated. “It must be magical, huh?” 

“So, you can get in and out through…there?” Pointing at the glass with a nail, Giles nodded, demonstrating by sticking his arm through the portal. Briar folded her arms, unwilling to sit despite the shallow ache in her knees. She wanted to find her own bed soon. “Alright, so you got me here. What do you want from me?” 

“A book of many pages is a teller of none. A lock without a key is a liar.” 

Glancing at Maddie, she had one brow arched. “He says there’s something wrong with the Storybook of Legends.” 

“Wrong with it?” Briar felt her heart stall, reminded of the conversation she’d had with Raven. “What do you mean wrong with it?” 

Giles mumbled under his breath, waving his hands with a mighty flourish as something heavy thumped onto a table from thin air. The book was familiar, heavy and well bound. “You didn’t just…?" 

“A false prophet. Worry not.” 

“He says this is just a copy of the book in the Queen’s office,” Maddie said. “A mirror version.” 

Waving a palm over the fake tome, Briar stepped closer as Giles magically flipped through the pages. On them, dozens of names had been stolen. All without choice. Some, destined for death or worse . The man before them stopped on a page that made her heart go cold. She recognized the handwriting. 

ROSE BEAUTY 

“My page?” 

“The threads that bind are knotted, together, apart, and all around. Nothing is what it seems.” 

“But that’s my name; this is my page,” Briar huffed. “I…I signed my life away.”  

“A name is not a name without heart,” Giles said. “Magic is not magic without a spark.” 

“Giles says that you’re not tied into the Queen’s book,” Maddie gasped, her eyes unusually wide. “You wrote the wrong name.” 

“No. This is my name,” Briar admitted. “Well, the name I was given.” 

“That’s what he means. Rose isn’t your name. You are Briar, aren’t you?” 

“Well, yeah. But does that make a difference?” 

“What is a name, but something that can’t be tamed? And your name, daughter of roses, is not the same.” 

“Ok, so what if I signed the wrong name? If there’s something wrong with the book…does it even matter?” Giles smiled, a knowing look on his face as he closed and vanished the tome before him. “What is wrong with the book, Mr. Grimm?” 

“Letters and lies, tilly-tally.” 

“The book isn’t…what it seems,” Maddie translated. “It’s lying.” 

“So the book Queen Snow White has isn’t the real one?” Briar ran a hand across her jawbone. She’d have to apologize to Raven for doubting her word. “Which means no one is as tied to their destinies as we thought.” 

Giles nodded; his old eyes alight as he pressed his palms together. Staring at him, Briar shook her head slowly. “You don’t want us to follow our destinies, do you?” 

“Destiny is as destiny does,” Giles shrugged, chuckling faintly. “The road is winding and long, but every heart has it’s own song.” 

“He says destiny is never set in stone,” Maddie translated. “Things can change.” 

“So, we really are being forced into these destinies. I knew it.” Holding in her scoff of annoyance, Briar felt a familiar prickle up her spine. “Someone’s coming. No one can know about this.” 

“A moment in the mirror ought to do,” Giles said, patting the frame of the mirror and waving to it. “Ladles and lentils, leap and lollygag.” 

“He’s saying we can get out through the mirror.” Maddie translated, giving Briar’s arm a pull. “Let’s go.” 

“What? Through there?” Staring into the rippling reflections, Briar turned as heavy footsteps stomped down the set of stairs they’d found early. Pages. They had no choice. “Let’s hope we don’t end up someplace weird.” 

Closing her eyes, Briar held her breath as she stepped into the glass. The magic triggered her curse as she collapsed through the portal, unsure where it would spit her back out again as her world plummeted into darkness. 

Chapter Text

Interlude: A Coming Storm

Sleeping Beauty finally waking up from her eternal sleep was a thing to be celebrated. Snow White, fairest in the land and newest queen on the ivory throne, knew this well enough. Her story was an old one, truly a foundational legacy in the world of Ever After. But there were others much older, with a line of ancestry that dated back millennia. The story of Sleeping Beauty was one of those rare tales, having begun the day Mother Goose hatched their world from inside a golden egg. 

It was, quite possibly, one of the oldest, most important legacies to ever exist, seeing as it was the tale of Little Talia Rose, a wickedly dark fae, and a courageous prince that defined what was good and what was evil for the first time. 

Arriving at the Palace of Roses, the vast quartz walls glistened pink in the sunlight, framing intricate windows of stained glass. Guards adorned in silver and brown fur met the carriage at the gate, granting her four white horses' entry. Unlike the rest of their land, which had innovated and changed with time, the Kingdom of Roses had been dormant since its legacy fell asleep. It remained the same as when it had become trapped under the dark fairies curse nearly a century ago. Snow had never actually visited the Palace of Roses before today, she’d only heard stories and legends about how truly magnificent it was. 

There was no fanfare to greet her. No people to clap or cheer, no banners or trumpets. The front courtyard was empty and abandoned. She was expected, wasn’t she? Inside the palace was empty too, practically devoid of life besides the silent sentinel of guards. Though the outside was grand and glistened like gemstones, the corridors were dark and cold. Old furniture–all dreadfully out of style–had been covered in layers of dust, while chandeliers of cast iron remained unlit, still crusty with old ashes from forgotten candlesticks. The few people Snow saw in the long, echoing halls were completely silent, or spoke amongst one another in low, droning whispers. They watched her eerily from the shadows, a distinct prickle of dark magic zipping up the Ivory Queen’s spine. These figures almost didn’t seem human, appearing and disappearing out the corner of her eye like smoke. 

Snow had heard many stories about the Palace of Roses being haunted, and how those who trespassed came back out dazed and time-drunk. She’d never believed them to be anything more than warnings, aimed at those who wished to pillage and take advantage of an empty palace. Giving credence to nonsensical myths was a waste of her time, but perhaps–what with how strong the dark fae’s magic truly was–she should’ve taken such claims more seriously. 

“Queen Snow White, welcome to our home!" 

Blinking from her thoughts as she was brought into the throne room, King Valorous stood with a dazzling grin. Snow remembered Valorous–just Valor, back then–from her time at Ever After. He was a handsome man with wavy brown locks and a sharp, square jaw. Though they didn’t run in the same circles most of the time, she recalled him being a star student in his Knighting and Wooing classes. Safe to say, such impressive feats in his youth seemed to have pulled through for him in the end. Waking Sleeping Beauty after nearly a century was no easy feat, his name would be legendary. “We’re honored to have you here.” 

“Thank you. Congratulations on fulfilling your legacy, Valorous.” 

“Yes, it was a surprise to me too. Please, your highness, allow me to introduce my wife.” Reaching behind him, King Valor took a girl’s hand and guided her to stand beside him. She was so young, still just a teenager herself. The age gap between her and Valor was obvious enough, but Snow wasn’t surprised. After all, she was decently younger than her own husband as well. The newly awakened Sleeping Beauty was as stunning as her story described. Tall and thin, with long chocolate hair that fell in pretty curls. She had a heart shaped face, sunkissed brown skin, lips the same shade as the rose bushes dotting the grounds, and a demeanor that was royal and elegant. Yet as Snow met her eyes, she was surprised by their color. 

In all the depictions she had seen of the girl sleeping her life away in the tower, she had brown eyes. Dark, perfectly round spheres that were large and doe like. These eyes were a vicious, sharp carnelian red. There was something…unsettled about them, the color possibly due to the touch of dark magic which now settled in the girls' very blood. Perhaps her eyes had been brown when the curse began, but they certainly weren’t anymore. “Your highness,” she greeted with a curt nod, hanging onto Valor’s elbow with a white knuckled grip. “I am Damascena. Just Rose is fine, if you’d like.” 

“Snow White, Queen of Ever After,” Snow introduced. “Welcome back to the land of the living, my dear.” 

“Thank you,” Rose smiled, though it was slight, almost tired as she sighed. “So much has changed since I fell asleep, it’s still a bit hard to comprehend it. It was Queen Chantilly on the throne when I closed my eyes. You look so much like her.” 

Queen Chantilly, Snow’s great-great-great grandmother. It was incredible, thinking that this child–no older than the students now attending Ever After–actually lived in a time when such a great woman still ruled.  

“Shall I leave you ladies to converse?” Valor wondered, assisting his wife down a short set of stairs. She still walked as though she were uncertain of her own feet, staring at the ground with each step. One hundred years; Snow reminded herself. That was a long time to be dead. 

“A pot of tea sounds lovely,” Queen Rose said faintly, waving a hand as one of her guards came, taking the King’s place beside her. “Your majesty, come, please. We will take refreshments in the study. I have many things I wish to ask you about.” 

“Of course.” 

And so she went, completely unaware that this would change the course of her life forever. If only Snow knew. If only she knew that this willowy, fragile teenager would become the biggest thorn in her side for the next decade. If only she knew that this pathetic wisp of a Queen would abandon her kingdom only three years after waking up, escaping into the bramble woods never to be seen again. If only Snow knew that Damascena Rose would instill a near unbreakable stubbornness into her daughter, just to spite her. 

As the Queen of Ever After, it was her and her alone who could keep their world from falling to ruin. She had seen for herself what became of the Kingdom of Roses when Damascena abandoned her legacy. The people vanished like shadows, never to be seen or heard from again. The once vibrant land died and became brittle. The bramble woods consumed any and all living things till there was nothing left to salvage. Snow thought the legacy of Sleeping Beauty had died with its Queen. 

But even she was wrong sometimes. 

The day Snow met Briar Rose, she knew her mother and legacy lived again. The moment their gazes collided, just like that day in the Kingdom of Roses, Snow felt something tickle her in the most unpleasant of ways. Those haunted carnelian red rings, filled with nothing but hatred and contempt, were exactly the same as before. Innocent eyes tinged by dark magic; a curse laid in poison raging through this gaunt, angry teenager’s veins. Briar Rose had a tongue of fire, courage wrapped in thorns, and a heart that burned and thrashed against Snow’s will at every turn. She could take the wild thing out of the woods, beat her down and string her up until there was nothing left. She could try and wrangle this animal that Damascena created, but Snow knew deep down it was no use. Briar’s eye’s, red and cursed and dangerous, told her all she needed to know. 

Snow White feared what the last Sleeping Beauty had left in her wake. And whatever storm was coming, she wasn’t sure if it was possible to stop it. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-One: Breaking Point

”Reach the breaking point, and even the strongest hearts will see what they’re truly made of.”

“Magic is the most important element in our world. Like energy, it is ever existent and cannot be created nor destroyed. Magic can be dispersed, recycled, blasted into pieces so small and insignificant it can seem that it has been destroyed, but no. Magic is eternal, the building-blocks of not just the stone or the grass or the sky, but us as well. We are all magic. Without it, Ever After would cease to exist.” 

Briar was listening intently to Professor Rumplestiltskin’s lesson on magical elements. Despite what most people thought, being caught in the throngs of Enchanted Death didn’t make her innate. She could still hear everything, from the voices right beside her, to the furthest gate of Ever After, where Darling was having a sword lesson up on the wall. It was an aspect of the curse that drove her own mother crazy. 

Being alone in a tower for nearly a century, able to hear as people in the far kingdoms slowly forgot about her? It was enough to drive anyone to hopeless insanity. Briar couldn’t imagine being forced to listen as her friends died off one by one, survived only by their children, and by their children's—children. All while knowing fully well that those who abandoned her to sleep would slowly forget she existed. That was, of course, until a random Prince arrived to kiss her free. The mere thought of such a life made Briar want to scream. 

“…but Professor, if magic can’t be destroyed, how do you break a curse?” 

Briar wasn’t sure who asked that question—Cedar, possibly—based on that nervous rasp. Professor laughed, his throat deep and croaking like a frog as he tapped his cane at the edge of his podium. 

“Natural magic cannot be destroyed, Cedar Wood. But unnatural magic—magic that has been manipulated against its will—can be broken. It is very rare, as unnatural magic is difficult to spin. Much like my gold, ha! Only the strongest magicians and enchantresses can manage it.” 

Briar felt her eyes open. She saw the world in bleary color, Ashlynn’s hand gently stroking her hair as she dazedly zoned out beside her. Much to her own surprise, Briar felt her hand raise for a question. The professor turned to her, his little gnome-brows popping up in surprise. “Miss Rose has a question?” 

She didn’t bother correcting him, wanting to get her thought out before it left her mind. “How do you break a piece of magic, Professor?” 

“Ah, so the sleeping one is listening to what I say.” The little man laughed again, his attention fully on Briar who stared back fearlessly, awaiting an answer. “Natural magic is like water, you see? It will flow and change to the environment. Hard to destroy, hard to stop, it does as it will, hmm? Unnatural magic is like a stone, a physical element. It is sturdy and difficult to crack, often unsightly, but sometimes beautiful too. But, any physical element has its breaking point.” Professor Rumplestiltskin pulled something from under his fur cap, holding it up for Briar to see. “This thread—it’s pretty, no? It came from straw, spun with unnatural magic to gold. But it is not forever.” The gremlin pulled the golden thread between his fingers, snapping it with a firm yank. “Enough pressure in just the right place and it will break.” The gold thread vibrated, reverting back to what it was before; just a piece of straw now snapped in two. “I answer your question?” 

“Yes, Professor. Thank you.”  

“Good. Onto next element; dragon fire.” Briar was still listening to the rest of the lecture, but her mind was drifting. Unnatural magic was able to break. Unnatural magic was physical. What did and didn’t count as unnatural magic? Blinking as the bell chimed, Briar stood with the others, halting her exit as the Professor called her name. “Miss Rose. Come to me for a moment.” 

Ashlynn, who held her arm, gave it a squeeze of worry. But Briar reassured her with a smile and a wave. “Go with Farrah, I’ll meet you in the Castleteria.” 

“Alright.” Ash frowned, her brows crinkling as Farrah tugged her from the room. Approaching the little-man’s podium, he stared down at her from above. 

“Yes?” 

“You have interest in curse-breaking, Miss Rose?” He asked her. “Is not a subject suited for Princesses.” 

“I’m just curious, Professor,” she shrugged. “How can you tell magic is unnatural?” 

“Eh, it can be difficult. But natural magic can change to suit its own needs. The unnatural is good at hiding as something else but cannot do this.” 

“Can unnatural magic surround an object?” Briar puzzled, tilting her head. “Something bigger than your thread.” 

“It can be done,” Professor Rumplestiltskin said. “An example from your legacy is a certain spindle needle.” 

“And with the right pressure, it can break, right?” 

“Destiny is not something that can be broken, Miss Rose,” the gremlin said, misinterpreting her thoughts. “It is the most natural magic of our world.” 

“I think I understand, Professor.” 

“Be careful with knowledge, little girl,” Rumplestiltskin warned ominously, waving his cane at her. “Those powerful enough to use it often abuse it.” 

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Briar nodded, leaving the room and escaping into the hall. 

Based on the current information she had (both from Raven and from Giles), the book in the Queen’s office wasn’t real. Not only that, but Briar wasn’t properly looped into its seemingly endless magical web, anyway (what that meant for her, she still didn’t know). This was all due to a simple misunderstanding of a name. The fake book wasn’t able to change, just like the Professor said. The key Raven had given her shifted appearance when she held it, meaning the real tome could probably do the same. It would’ve known what name she preferred and adapted, meaning the Queen’s book was, for sure, a lie. It was a piece of unnatural magic, meaning it could be broken, just like any other curse. Walking into the Castleteria, the thoughts pelted Briar’s skull like a barrage of stones. The book could be broken, meaning the names inside could be released from their ‘legacies’ under the right kind of pressure. But what could possibly be strong enough to crack something that was spun to be unbreakable? 

“Hey, Princess.” 

A light flicked on in Briar’s mind. She found Faybelle waiting at the villain’s barrier, arms crossed, her usual sneer resting upon her lips. Faybelle. “Yo, Sleeping Beauty! Are you deaf?” 

Ignoring the many pairs of eyes on her, she approached the dark fairy. “Faybelle.” 

“What’s got your braid in a twist, your highness?” the fae wondered, catching onto her current agitation as she fell her head to one side. “Royal life finally getting to you?” 

“You don’t want this legacy,” Briar accused, causing Faybelle’s eyes to widen a touch. Clearly that wasn’t the response she was expecting. 

“Of course I do. I hate you.” 

“You tried to kill me.” 

“Yeah, and?” Faybelle screwed up her nose. “You’re annoying and we’d be better off for it.” 

“If you wanted this legacy to play out the way it should, killing me first thing would mean no more story. You wouldn’t do that unless you didn’t want it.” 

Faybelle opened her mouth, then closed it again as she huffed, glancing wearily over her shoulder. “So I tried to kill you, it’s no big deal. It seemed like less work than spinning some stupid-intricate curse or whatever.” 

“I think, for once, you and I are on the same page,” Briar laughed, raking a hand through her hair. “Your mom was gutted by my dad. That’s a pathetic way to go for such a powerful dark fairy.” 

“Don’t talk about my mom,” Faybelle warned, her eyes flashing an electric shade of blue. “You don’t know anything.” 

“There’s no way you want to go out like that,” Briar accused. “You want to live.” 

“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Faybelle, I get it. You don’t want to die, and I don’t want to sleep for a century. We have the same goal. This legacy doesn’t have to exist if neither of us want it.” 

“I think you’ve lost your mind,” Faybelle chuffed, shaking her head. “You’re crazy.” 

“Not crazy if this works,” Briar said quickly, glancing wearily over her own shoulder. Darling was staring from across the room, currently unable to get away from Apple, but suspicious nonetheless. Briar turned back to the barrier. “We both don’t want this legacy. Trust me, and we can get out of it without killing each other. At least for now. I just have to see if this works.” 

“If what works?” 

“I want to try and break our story,” Briar whispered. “But you have to help me.” 

“I don’t really help people with things,” Faybelle complained. “What exactly do you want me to do?” 

“This isn’t a favor, Faybelle. It’s a trade. You keep your life in exchange for my fairytale ending. I don’t want this happily ever after; I’ve never wanted this happily ever after. I’d rather you kill me first.” 

“You want me to kill you?” Faybelle scowled. “Way to take the fun out of it.” 

“Agree that the legacy no longer exists between us,” Briar croaked, her heart stuttering as Darling left Apple’s side. She had to do this fast, she wasn't sure if another chance would present itself. “No lying, either. It has to be true. You want to live.” 

“I…I do want to live,” Faybelle agreed, glancing down as Briar brought her hand to the barrier. 

“Shake on it.” 

“Briar, there’s a magic barrier in the way.” 

“Just do it, Faybelle.” 

The dark fairy scoffed. “Fine. I don’t want this legacy.” 

Briar felt the static in her blood. She felt the burn of magic in her fingers as she forced her hand through the barrier just far enough to grab Faybelle’s wrist. The shock was bright, flashing blindingly like a star going dark. In a single movement, Briar yanked the fae through the wall, something which had previously been impossible. She stumbled in surprise, pivoting on a foot to keep from falling over and raising her hands. The silver coating had been washed away by the good magic in place, leaving bare, icy blue palms behind. 

“Pages, it actually worked,” Briar laughed, glancing up as there was a shout of alarm. Darling had unsheathed her sword and was running towards them full speed, pastel hair a mess of curls. Glancing at Faybelle, who still rotated her newly freed arms in awe, Briar hit her shoulder to catch her attention. Blue eyes met red completely unhindered, just like the day they first met. “We’re about to have company. Think you’re strong enough to get us out of here?” 

“Uh, duh, I’m a freaking dark fairy!” The girl cackled; yanking Briar close to her. “Time to blow this popsicle stand.” 

So focused on Faybelle’s freezing hand now touching her waist, Briar barely had time to blink before a bright blue light consumed them both. In a static burst they were flying, traveling through empty space before being spat out someplace else. Similar to her experience with the mirror, Briar landed on the ground, rolling across a floor of grass and branches. Coming to rest on her back, she was staring up at a beautiful canopy of pine trees, scant sunbeams breaking through the evergreen limbs. It actually worked. “Alright, princess. You’ve got some serious explaining to do, because what in ever after was that?” 

Faybelle was hovering above her, wings fluttering to make invisible patterns in the air. 

“Your wing is healed."

“A little bit of magic goes a long way,” the girl explained, placing both hands on her hips as Briar sat up with a wince. There were stars dancing in her eyes, blossoming a million different colors. “Spill. What did you do?” 

“I broke it.” 

“Broke what?” 

“The Storybook of Legends.” Briar rubbed her head with a wince, leaning on a bent knee. “You pack quite a punch.” 

“So I’ve been told, but don’t change the subject. What do you mean you broke the book? That’s impossible.” 

“It would be, if the book was real,” Briar coughed, explaining to Faybelle what she had learned. The fairy just stood in the air, taking in the information like a sponge. 

“So what does any of that have to do with pulling me through the barrier?” 

“You denied your legacy. In that second, you were as much a villain as I am a princess. I forced the book to break, even if it was just for a moment.” 

“You…that’s…brilliant and crazy. You’re crazy!” 

“And yet here we are,” Briar moaned, rising to her feet and brushing herself off. “We’re all being lied to. These destinies…these legacies…they’re impossible magic.” 

“How so?” Faybelle lounged midair, leaning on a bent elbow. “I mean, our stories have been going on for centuries; what makes this any different?” 

“It can’t possibly be the same story told as our ancestors. It would be too solid, too unnatural. Professor Rumplestiltskin said that destiny is fluid. It has to change to stay alive, meaning the exact same story happening over and over again just isn’t possible. It would collapse.” 

“So…what?”

“If destiny is truly as fluid as we believe it, our stories can change without consequence. This prison the Queen has made is just a way to control what shouldn’t be controlled.” 

“I never liked her,” Faybelle agreed blandly. “So, what are you going to do about it?” 

“I have no idea." Briar shrugged. “Didn’t think that far ahead.” 

“You know, I could totally kill you right now?” Faybelle tilted her head. “No barrier, no silver. I could paint this forest with your insides.” 

“You won’t,” Briar said, rubbing her side which was still faintly sore, even nearly a week later.

Faybelle scoffed in annoyance. “Who says?” 

“If you planned to kill me, you would’ve done it already.” 

“What if I’m just leading you on, huh?” 

“Because that’s not your style." Briar smirked, taking a deep inhale of the lush forest air.

“True.” Faybelle dropped to her feet, wings settling as she placed both hands on her hips. “So, why’d you do that, Princess?”

“Do what?” 

“Break the book? You’re going to be royalty. You’ll have the life a million girls dream about. Why give that up on purpose?” 

“Because it’s not the life I want,” Briar shrugged, beginning to walk through the dense foliage. She’d need to find someplace to take shelter; the night in Ever After was dark and unforgiving. “I saw what our story did to my mother. It drained the very life out of her; it killed her young, even after she got her happy ending. She never wanted that life for me, and I don’t want it either. What about you?” 

“What about me?” Faybelle surprised Briar by following close behind her, traversing the forest in her stead. 

“You don’t want to be a dark fairy?” 

“Of course I do, don’t be stupid.” 

“Yet you haven’t killed me yet,” Briar chuckled, holding a branch aside as Faybelle ducked under it. They were face to face, that familiar static zipping up Briar’s shoulders. “What’s your reason for that?” 

“I want to be a dark fairy, Briar, don’t get it twisted. I’ll be one of the best, better than my mom ever was. But I refuse to let my name go down in history because of how I died. That enough of an explanation for you?” 

Briar nodded her understanding, blinking as they stepped from the dense woods into a rather large, hilly clearing. At the top of that hill was a lonely, seemingly forgotten building of pale granite. 

“What’s that?” 

“No clue,” Faybelle answered, folding her arms. “Magic is weird. I didn’t plan where we landed, I just followed wherever it decided to go.” 

“This’ll be good enough shelter for tonight. It’ll get dark soon and I’m pretty sure the Queen will have people scouring these woods for us in no time,” Briar complained, beginning to walk up the hill. She turned when Faybelle didn’t follow, staring down at her from a few feet away. “Are you still thinking about killing me?” 

“Debating it.” 

“Can we debate it inside? It's getting cold out here.” 

“You want me to come with you?” Faybelle wondered, arching a brow. “Do you have no survival instincts whatsoever?” 

“Look, Faybelle, kill me or not we’re both stuck out here. I’d rather be warm and dead than freezing and alive.” 

“I don’t get you,” Faybelle complained, huffing as she marched up the hill, stopping so they were shoulder to shoulder. “You’re nothing like your mom was.” 

“No,” Briar agreed, smirking. “I’m what she always wanted to be.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Two: Of Life and Debts

“How full can a single life be, when it’s destined to be cut short?” 

Kill her. Kill her now. Strangle her. Make her bleed. Faybelle, she’s vulnerable, why are you stalling? Do it. Do it now! 

The little voices were back in force, tittering away like blackbirds in Faybelle’s brain. They never took a day off, not even when her limbs were heavy, or her eyes were tired from using so much magic all at once. She desperately wanted to sleep, to drift in the void as her body replenished itself. But Briar had already closed her eyes, collapsed and pale as though caught in the sudden throngs of death. The desire to slice her throat open was there—it would be too easy—yet Faybelle sat debating, playing tug of war with the voices in her ears. Human bodies were fragile like paper or glass. There was no more barrier; no more reason for her to keep stalling. She could end this legacy today; make sure a sword wouldn’t catch her through the middle, breaking bones and tearing flesh as it went. 

Yet she sat silently by the little blue fire she’d made, thinking and hesitating instead. 

Faybelle was nearly a century old, ancient to any mortal, but still just a teenager by her own people’s standards. As a child, still only as tall as her mother’s hip, she remembered going to the bedside of Sleeping Beauty. The lonely castle tower was dark and cold, and the pure amount of steps someone had to climb to reach it was dizzying. Inside a beautiful room of stone and wood, a girl no older than Briar lay tucked into a bed of roses and thorns. She was beautiful, the most beautiful human Faybelle had ever seen. 

“We respect this place, child,” Mother told her, hanging onto her hand as they approached. The girl asleep didn’t stir, pale as smoke and still as stone. Yet something about her still glowed; an ethereal, unearthly shine that Faybelle desperately wanted to pull through her fingers. She wanted to feel the magic of her ancestors for herself; to bask in its power and glory. “This princess is our legacy, and we will watch over her until the time comes for her to wake.” 

But why keep her alive? 

Faybelle had been too young to ask such a question. Even grown up, she still had no answer that satiated her curiosity. Mother never gave a reason as to why they watched over a sleeping princess for a century instead of just killing her. The elder fae merely appeared a pretty white rose between her fingers, passing it to her daughter. “Pay your respects.” 

Faybelle took the rose and placed it upon the shrine, staring at the princess her mother had cursed. She memorized her sunkissed face, mapping the delicate arch of her brows, and noting the warm red tint to her walnut hair. Faybelle didn’t want to forget; she wanted to memorize the face of her own Sleeping Beauty before ever knowing her. They stayed for a little while before leaving, though the picture of the forgotten princess never faded from Faybelle’s memories.

When the time finally came for Sleeping Beauty to wake, her mother was viciously slaughtered. Faybelle had been there herself; she had seen it happen, forced to watch from the safety of a hollow tree as a man on a horse stuck a sword through her mothers chest. It was the last memory she had of her, the once elegant, powerful fairie screaming in agony as she turned to dust. 

Faybelle swore to end the story for good that day. She swore to avenge her mother’s death and refused to let some mortal man kill her in such an undignified, pathetic way. Yet here in the dark of a lonely marble hall, standing over Briar’s sleeping form with a perfect chance to end it…she couldn’t. It had been so easy to nearly kill her when they first met. Just looking at the daughter of roses filled Faybelle with searing hot rage. She wanted justice for the things that had been taken from her. But that childish part of her, the part which Faybelle desperately tried to force out, still emerged nonetheless. She remembered the sleeping princess in the tower, and how pretty she was amongst the roses. 

Briar was much the same now as that stranger was then. 

In death, the pain which usually darkened her face was gone, easing the wrinkles from her burnt, chapped skin. She was perfectly serene, young, a picture of grace and royalty. The most beautiful human Faybelle had ever seen. Except this princess had scars, burns, and bruises on display, rather than silk or lace. She was bitter and resentful of her destiny–just as Faybelle was–despite all the wonderful things being kissed by a prince promised her. How could it be that the lost Queen of Roses, a woman Faybelle had only met in her memories, sired such a ferocious, unyielding, confusing daughter?

It seemed so wrong, like their story had taken a drastic turn in the wrong direction. 

Blinking and glancing up from the fire, the girl currently occupying her thoughts was awake again. She looked gaunt and haunted in the blue firelight, something uneasy sitting in her eyes. The pained wrinkles were back, aging her to look far older than her sixteen human years. Briar was, after all, mortal, and mortals had very short lives compared to fae. She was just a teenager, a child (just like her), something Faybelle had already forgotten. 

“Was that it?” She asked, drawing Briar’s eye. “My mom’s magic?” 

Briar tilted her head faintly, running a hand across her face as she dug busted nails into the skin. “Surprised you didn’t kill me,” she moaned, tracing the flat of her thumb along the ridge of her brow and wincing. “It would’ve been easy to do.” 

Briar didn’t trust her a wink, despite inviting her to share this shelter they’d found. How did that make any sense? 

“I thought about it,” Faybelle sighed. “But what’s the fun in an easy target?” The lie tasted bitter, but she didn’t elaborate. Briar didn't seem to care, too focused on nursing whatever pain she’d woken to. “What’s wrong?” 

“I hate magic,” Briar complained. “Makes my head hurt.” 

“Well, mortals aren’t exactly built for it. You lot are pathetic creatures.” 

“It never feels right, coming out of Enchanted Death,” Briar told her, using a hand to rake humid fluffed curls out of her eyes. “Like I wasn’t ever meant to wake up.” 

“The spell was miscast, the first time the dark fairy put Talia to sleep,” Faybelle shrugged, holding a palm over her fire and playing in the light. “It was meant to be a death spell, but she was a weak and frivolous fae. The sleep only held for a century, rather than an eternity. It was weak by the time the prince arrived, breaking it with the power of ‘true love’ or whatever.” Making air-quotes around the idea, Briar tilted her head curiously, the question resting on her face. “Dark fae don't believe in true love,” Faybelle scoffed in explanation. “It’s pathetic, just like humans are. How it managed to break a dark spell is beyond us, even to this day.” 

“So why not just cast the correct spell? Why keep the story going for all this time?” 

“Who knows, I certainly don’t. I guess it’s just one of those traditions that’s upheld, even if it’s not clear why.” 

“Is that why you haven’t killed me yet?” 

Faybelle met bright carnelian eyes over the fire and scowled. “I can kill you anytime I want, Princess.” 

“Then why don’t you?” 

“Are you encouraging it? Is your own life truly worth so little to you?” 

“I won’t live long after I wake up from my destiny, anyway. What’s the difference between then and now?” Briar shook her head, cringing as though recalling some painful memory. “My mom was sick from the dark fairy’s curse the moment she opened her eyes. You say it was miscast all those years ago, but it wasn’t. The spell killed her, just like it was meant to do. She was a ghost by the end; there was nothing left of her when she died.” 

Faybelle screwed up her face in confusion. That wasn’t how the story went. At least…not that she knew of. “What do you mean? She went off with her little prince and had you. Seems happy enough to me.” 

“My mother was alive for only ten years after waking up. A single decade of miserable life compared to a century of tortured sleep. Every generation the curse becomes stronger, Faybelle. Sleeping Beauty always dies young. I guess it’ll bring you some comfort, knowing I’ll suffer the same fate. So to answer your question, no, my life is worth next to nothing. I should’ve let you kill me that day we first met, it would’ve been merciful.” 

Faybelle had no words. Her mind ran in a million different directions as Briar stood from across the fire, crossing her arms as she walked deeper into their little sanctuary. That couldn’t be right. And yet, the longer she thought about it, the clearer it became. It was true, every Sleeping Beauty died young. Talia Rose, the first, died when she was only 40 in human years. Every princess after had died even younger, declining in age with each generation. Briar’s mother was a teenager (the same age her daughter was now) when she was put to sleep, meaning…she died at only 26 years old. 

Faybelle fluttered to her feet in a hurry. She chased Briar’s shadow down the hall, landing upon entering a long, glistening room of alabaster stone. Swathed in moonlight that pierced through tall, broken stained glass windows, the daughter of roses stood before one. This was the Hall of Legacies; Faybelle recognized it now. It was said to be lost, forgotten in time when the Evil Queen defied destiny. Yet here it was, crumbling to dust in the middle of the woods. Stepping up to where Briar was, she was staring at one of the many windows, her features cast in varying shades of the forgotten pane. 

Faybelle didn’t want to feel guilty, yet she did anyway. After all, she had lost her mother too and missed her every day since. Safe to say she knew the pain Briar was in, and respected it. “Why did you come here? Why not run away, knowing already you’re going to die at the hands of your legacy?” 

Briar just shook her head sadly, staring at the picture of Sleeping Beauty made of broken glass shards and twisted iron frame. “Because my  brothers deserve to live, even if I don’t,” she replied, holding her dirtied elbows with equally battered hands. “It was selfish of my parents, bringing them into this world. They never even thought about what might happen to them in a place so cruel. The Queen says they’re safe, but I don’t trust her word. They could be dead, all of them, and I can’t help but wonder if they would be better off that way.” Briar turned around, her silhouette outlined in the pale glow of an encroaching moon. “Accepting my place in the story was the only way I could manage a better life for them, even at the expense of my own.” 

Faybelle saw the memories of her past flicker to life before her very eyes. The scars were gone, the bruises and the pain and the anger faded. Briar was her legacy, just as Faybelle was her’s. They were two sides of the same coin, stuck spinning in this unfair loop. Something strange curled in the dark fairies stomach, clenching as though a rope had been pulled taught around her gut. “You could’ve killed me at any point today, Faybelle,” Briar pointed out again, her normally dark eyes keen and curious. “Why haven’t you?” 

Faybelle scrambled for a quip, an insult, anything to explain her actions in the last few hours. She could’ve been free and gone by now with this fairytale dead at her feet. But she just waved her hand, summoning a single white rose. “I…respect this legacy, nearly as much as I hate it,” she said, holding the flower out for Briar to take. “Without it, I wouldn’t exist, and neither would you.” 

“I don’t understand.” 

“I don’t either,” Faybelle moaned, watching as Briar took the gift, careful of the thorns which dotted the stem. “I can’t kill you…as much as I want to. I can’t leave, as much as I want to escape. This legacy—this story—is sewn into my heart, just like my magic. That first day, rage was all I felt. I could’ve ended it then and there, I should’ve. Yet even at my most powerful, fueled by my hatred just as my ancestors were before me, you still bested me. And you didn’t kill me in return. I suppose you could call it a life debt.” 

“Your magic is keeping you from killing me?” Briar raised her notched eyebrow. “Why didn’t you just say that?” 

“Because it’s embarrassing for a dark fairy to owe mortals anything, especially something as pathetic as a life debt,” Faybelle complained, scowling. “I still want to kill you, but I can’t. At least not yet.” 

“Huh. You’re not the only one who owes someone a life debt,” Briar chuckled, seeming to uncoil a bit as she sighed. “I have to go back to Ever After soon, they’ll be looking for me.” 

“What ? After all that work to escape, you want to go back?” Faybelle was struck dumb. “That’s the stupidest thing I ever heard.” 

“If the Queen thinks I escaped on purpose, who knows what she’ll do. If my brothers are still alive, she’ll kill them. If not, she may kill my friends, or hurt them in some way to get more information which they don’t have. No one knows about this, it’s between you and me. I can’t let anyone else get hurt.” 

“Oh cool, so I’m your scapegoat, huh?” Faybelle tossed her head, placing both hands on her hips. “Are you going to snitch on me?” 

“No, because I need you to do me another favor.” 

“Oh yeah?” Faybelle tilted her head as Briar smiled up at her, red eyes glowing with mirth. How was it that every Sleeping Beauty was the most beautiful human to ever exist? “What exactly do you want from me now?” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Three: Rose Colored Lies

"Rose colored lies are easier to love than bleak colored truths." 

Magic was a fickle thing; Darling knew this fact well enough. She’d spent many years studying under several ancient alchemists, learning of all the ways magic was crafted and woven together. She knew about it, but had none of her own. That being said, the spell used to create the barriers around Ever After was meant to be impassable. It was a magic based on judgment: the wall decided who was good and who was evil. Those with keys could pass (like the Queen and herself), as could legacies seen as ‘gray’ (not black or white). The Wonderlandian students were gray legacies, the only ones currently attending classes. It seemed like a simple enough concept, and it was effective at keeping heroes and villains separate. 

Yet Faybelle had managed to break it. 

Faybelle Thorn was a pain in Darling’s side, but she wasn’t much of a ‘go-getter’ in terms of her studies. She was lazy in class and feisty towards others, even her own classmates. Even towards the few who she may have considered a friend. Finding a way to actually pass through the barrier felt like a stretch for her, seeing as she disliked putting in effort. But then again, Darling should’ve known better than to underestimate a dark fairy. Now both she and Briar were missing, and the Queen was livid. 

“It was your job to keep peace amongst the students, Shining Star. It was your job to keep track of that…that heathen you brought out of the bramble woods . You’ve failed me, and I’m fairy, fairy disappointed in you . If Rose Beauty is not back in this castle by daybreak tomorrow, those boys you’ve taken a shine to will be killed in your name. Do you understand?” 

Darling did understand. She understood that Briar was right . For the white knight’s entire life, the Queen was like a mother to her. Until today, her loyalty to the woman who stepped up where her own father failed was unshakable. But with Briar missing—probably dead, if Faybelle had her way—the little cracks that had always been there were gaping and obvious. How vicious did someone have to be to threaten the lives of actual children? 

Darling had made the trip back to the Kingdom of Thorns not that long ago, just to make sure the Rose Boys were settling into their new home. They slept peacefully in warm beds, cheeks beginning to fatten from being fed, while numerous scars were already fading. Little faces that reminded Darling of their prickly sister were all safe and well. The thought of them being killed because of her failure didn’t sit well. 

Her loyalty to the Queen buckled in an instant. 

The stable was thick with musk as she tacked up her mount, prepared to ride until the sun rose. The entire time, Darling thought about poor Ashlynn, kept firmly in Farrah’s arms as she wept. The legacy of Cinderella was inconsolable and it broke Darling’s heart. No one said it out loud, especially not her, but this was more likely a recovery mission, rather than a rescue. Faybelle was ruthless, hateful and violent. Seeing as she’d nearly killed Briar a week ago, hope wasn’t high that the daughter of roses would be returning. 

Except that’s not what happened. 

Darling was just preparing to mount when a guard from the wall scrambled into her presence. “Knight Shining Star, you have to see this!” 

Upon following him back to the gate, others were waiting in awe, blades and arrows at the ready. Down the hill stumbled a lonely silhouette, tripping and falling as she went. Squinting in the bleeding golden light of a dozen lanterns, Darling’s heart skipped a beat. Briar. The daughter of roses collapsed to her knees at the base of the hill, seemingly unable to go any further. Running to the legacies armor clanging as she went, Darling fell to the ground. 

Briar was dirty and soaked to the bone, shivering in her clothes which were badly torn and tattered from walking through the woods. Despite being covered in lacerations and bruises (wounds which Darling could barely make out in the night), they were of a natural sort, made by the forest biting at exposed arms and legs. Briar held both hands to her face, clutching at her eyes as she visibly trembled in the freezing night air. “I’m here, Briar. What happened? Are you hurt anywhere?” 

“…I don’t know.” 

“Briar, look at me.” Grabbing the girl's wrists, she shook her head wildly against her hands. “What happened? What’s wrong?” 

“I…I can’t…see anything.” 

“Show me.” Prying dirtied palms from Briar’s face, her eyelids were badly bruised and faintly red along the lashes, tears still leaking down her cheeks. Tilting the girls head back to have a better look, Darling couldn’t help her gasp of alarm as two eyes managed to part. Briar’s normally carnelian irises had completely lost their color, foggy and pale in the night. They were sightless, somehow completely blinded. How in Ever After had she managed to find her way back? “Did Faybelle do this to you?” 

“It happened so fast,” Briar huffed, wincing as Darling cautiously wiped her lower eyelids of their watery sheen. “It’s all just a blur.” 

“Where is she now?” 

“I don’t know. It was some sort of spell; it’s all hazy, I couldn’t tell you what it was. I ran in whatever direction I could.” 

“Alright, just hang tight, we’ll figure this out. Madame Yaga will know what to do. I’m going to pick you up, ok?” 

Briar nodded shakily, unusually subdued as Darling scooped her up. Perhaps it was the fact that she couldn’t see anything, or that she was still in shock from her experience in the forest. She clung silently to Darling’s chest plate as she carried her back through the safety of the castle gates, making sure they slammed shut behind them. Unfortunately, a lithe, regal figure was waiting at the door, no doubt summoned by the commotion. Approaching slowly, Queen Snow White stared at her evenly, before glancing at the girl in her arms. 

“Well done, Knight Shining Star,” the woman chirped, her ruby smile twitching only faintly. “This does not mitigate my disappointment in your performance, but trust can always be earned.” 

“Faybelle did something to her,” Darling gasped, shaking her head. “She’s blind.” 

“Is that so?” Her majesty reached out a hand, roughly turning Briar’s face to stare up at her. Milky white eyes looked back, ruffling into an expression of familiar hatred. Even without their usual red color, Darling could feel the intensity kept in them. The Queen just sniffed, seemingly unmoved. “Not so courageous now, are we, dear?” Something poisonous dripped past her teeth, causing Darling’s hair to stand on end. “It seems to me that a perfectly suitable punishment for your recklessness has been dealt. Faybelle always was a promising legacy, unlike yourself. Perhaps this experience is exactly what was needed to instill a bit of fear into that prickly heart of yours.” 

“I’m not afraid of Faybelle,” Briar said, still clinging to Darling’s armor with one hand. “Just like I’m not afraid of you.” 

“Hmm. For now, perhaps. But maybe enough time in the dark will shake the animal out of you.” 

“You can’t just leave her like this, your majesty.” Darling complained without thinking, clacking her jaw shut as the Queen glared. 

“Your tongue has loosened too much as of late, Knight Shining Star,” she accused. “Don’t forget what’s on the line should you fail me again.” 

Darling winced, falling her head. “No, your majesty. Of course not.” 

“We rely on our senses to take us through life.” The Queen smiled, though the malice in it was obvious as she caressed Briar’s freezing cheek. “Being without one may be enough to rattle your bravery. I still expect you for our lessons, Miss Rose. This new development changes nothing.” 

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Briar drawled, shuddering a short breath as Darling tightened her grip. 

“As for you, Knight. You’re walking a thin and dangerous line. Keep your legacy in check or else. Now go, take her to Madame Yaga with orders not to reverse this curse.” 

“I…yes, your majesty. Good evening.” Dipping her head, Darling turned. When they were a good way out of earshot, the White Knight snarled. “Don’t worry, Briar, we’ll find a way to reverse this,” she said, glancing down at the girl who now hung limply over her arm. Enchanted death? No, not a spell, she was breathing still. Just pure exhaustion, perhaps. Keeping her grip and her courage, Darling exhaled shakily. 

How was it that Briar was the one who had lost her sight, yet she was the one who was blind? 

The next morning, before the sun officially broke the horizon, Darling found herself entering Madame Yaga’s office. Surprisingly (perhaps unsurprisingly), the future sleeping beauty wasn’t actually sleeping. Briar was sitting up in one of the cots, staring at nothing in particular with blank white eyes, her hand gently running through locks of strawberry blonde hair. Ashlynn was awkwardly bent over her lap, half on the bed and half in a chair. It didn’t shock Darling that the legacy of Cinderella was here; she and Briar seemed close despite not having known one another that long. 

Upon her entry into the infirmary, the daughter of roses immediately turned to stare in her direction. Despite the lack of color in her gaze, she seemed just as alert as usual, almost as though nothing had changed. But as Darling got closer, the girl’s brows ruffled in thought. “Darling?” She guessed, sounding a bit unsure. 

“Yeah, how’d you know?” 

“I’m blind not deaf,” Briar noted blandly, tapping the place just below her ear. “You walk with a slight limp. Old injury?” 

“Broke my knee years ago,” Darling confirmed, sitting on the side of the bed opposite Ashlynn. “How are you feeling?” 

“Could be better. But not quite as bad.” 

Darling hummed, taking Briar in with a wide sweep. She did look better, her eyelids not so swollen, any new lacerations bandaged or taped shut. “You’re quiet,” the princess noted, tilting her head. Ashlynn had braided her roomates hair into a long plait, though a few walnut curls were escaping at her temples. “What’s up?” 

“This is all my fault. I’m so sorry, Briar.” 

“How was this your fault?” Briar scrunched up her face. “I was the one badgering Faybelle, not you. Ashlynn certainly gave me an earful over it.” 

“I should’ve intervened sooner. I should’ve been faster.” 

“And done what, get blasted into next century?” Briar actually chuckled a bit, her spirits unusually high despite her blank gaze. “No, this is my fault. No one else gets to take the blame.” 

“I still need to apologize,” Darling mumbled. “For everything.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I’ve been looking at her majesty through rose tinted glasses. She practically raised me…” 

“Did the Queen hurt you?” Briar blinked in alarm, fumbling for Darling's hand before grabbing onto her wrist. “Are you ok?” 

“That’s rich, coming from you,” Darling laughed, grabbing onto the girls hand and giving it a squeeze. “I’m fine. Just foolish, I suppose.” 

“What did she do?” 

“She threatened to…” Darling couldn’t finish the thought. The mere idea of it was awful. She didn’t have to finish, as Briar seemed to already know what she was going to say. 

“Are my brothers ok, Darling?” Her voice cracked, alluding to her fear. Darling nodded, only to remember that Briar couldn’t see her as she cleared her throat awkwardly. 

“They are now.” The knight winced, sighing heavily. “Briar, what happened last night? Why did Faybelle do this to you?” 

“I wish I knew. I thought she’d just kill me; but maybe…maybe she wanted to play with her food first. I don’t know.” 

“Faybelle is too efficient for that,” Darling mused thoughtfully, her brows furrowing. “How did she break the barrier?” 

“I have no idea. One minute we were separated and next, we weren’t. It was…completely unexpected.” 

Darling, for the first time in the conversation, felt a tickle of doubt in her mind. Faybelle Thorn wasn’t someone who would let her enemy just walk away from a fight, let alone someone who was already incapacitated. But without Briar’s eyes (the windows to her soul), it was difficult to tell what she was feeling besides a slight crinkle to her brow. “Darling?” 

“Hmm?” She shook off the thoughts unhappily. Briar wouldn’t go blinding herself, that would be a foolish thing to do. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” 

“No. I guess I’m not. At least…not anymore.” 

“How so?” Briar tilted her head, pursing her lips as she sunk against the headboard. It was curious, her blindness helped open her eyes. Her face, normally so badly bruised with exhaustion and anger, was softer somehow. Darling couldn’t help but wonder what Briar would’ve looked like if the bramble woods had never taken so much from her. How smooth would her skin be without the scars? How young would her face look without eyebags and bruises? How much of her cruelty would melt away to reveal something soft? Darling had seen hints of it in her legacy; the brief moments of kindness, of loyalty, of tenderness as she rubbed Ashlynn’s hair between her fingers. Briar Rose Beauty was kind…she just…hid it. Perhaps to keep it from being used as a weapon. 

Wise beyond her sixteen years; or so Darling’s many mentors would probably say. 

“I like certainty,” she mumbled after a beat of thought, kicking one leg over her knee as she stared up at the ceiling. “I like knowing my path.” 

“Isn’t destiny something that constantly changes?” 

“Not as much as you’d think,” Darling shrugged, reminding herself of her companion’s current blindness as she sniffed instead. “Mother and father weren’t a happy marriage; she uh…she left him for another, not long after I turned ten.” 

“Your father raised you?” 

“No. Well…sort of. He raised my brothers as knights and princes, but he never really knew what to do with me. Having a daughter wasn’t the plan. I learned whatever he taught, trying to impress him by excelling past my siblings, but it was never enough. The Queen came to me the year of my eleventh birthday. She was everything I ever wanted out of a mom. Regal, powerful, beautiful? I went to live in the palace, where she taught me how to be a Princess without giving up what I’d already learned.” 

“That’s where you met Apple, I’m guessing?” 

“Apple found me first,” Darling laughed, remembering how the pale, chubby girl stood a head shorter than her, grappling her calloused hand with her silky palms. She only grew up to be even more beautiful than that first day, and Darling felt something hot burn across her cheeks. “The Queen allowed me to look at my page in the Storybook of Legends early; she showed me what my future held. I thought she was truly a gracious and kind ruler…” 

“Apples can rot from the inside out,” Briar muttered in agreement, running a hand over her scalp. “I took a bite of one when I was just a little girl. It looked fine from the outside, but had gone rancid within. It was horrible; like licking tar. I always cut up my food from that day. Never trust appearances alone.” 

“I suppose the same can be said for you,” Darling pointed out as Briar huffed, though said nothing. “Thorns only pierce so deep, you know.” 

“There are plenty of other things out there that can scar a soft heart,” she noted. “It’s just…not usually physical.” 

“Your brothers are doing well,” Darling admitted, watching Briar’s hands curl into the sheets. “I made the trip a few nights ago. They are healthy and well loved in the Kingdom of Thorns.” 

“Let’s hope it stays that way.” 

“Hmm. Um…Briar?” 

“Yeah?” 

“We will find a cure for this, even if the Queen forbades it,” Darling said, giving Briar’s hand an encouraging squeeze. “Faybelle will pay for what she’s done to you. I’ll make sure of it.” 

“If I were Faybelle, I’d be halfway around the world by now,” Briar pointed out, surprising Darling by caressing the rise of her knuckles with a flat thumb. “You don’t know how much your kindness means, Darling.” 

“It’s my duty and honor to serve the royalty of Ever After. Even if you may not like it, that includes you. We’ll fix this, Briar. I swear it.” 

“Just be careful. I can tell you from experience that no longer being on the Queen’s good side is not a fun place to be. Don’t screw up your destiny over this.” 

“I’ll speak with Rosabella. Perhaps she’s read something that can help cure this ailment.” 

“Rosabella’s a bookworm, not an alchemist,” Briar laughed, running the flat of her hand across her forehead. “Can you take Ashlynn back up to the dorms? I’m sure Farrah’s wondering where she ended up.” 

“Of course. You’ll try to get some sleep?” Rising from the side of the bed, Briar faintly nodded as she let her hand fall from her roommate’s hair. Darling very carefully scooped the other legacy into her arms, surprised that she didn’t even twitch. Had she been here all night? “Take care of yourself, Briar. And please, for Ever After’s sake, don’t get into any more trouble?” 

“No promises,” Briar mumbled, giving a mock salute as she settled down into the bed. Watching her for a beat, Darling turned and left the office. Stepping out, she turned when something shifted out of the corner of her eye. Pivoting, there was nothing to be had but an empty corridor. Weird, seeing as her instincts were telling her someone was lingering there. But with nothing to see, she chalked it up to exhaustion as she began the journey back to the dorms. She’d deposit Ashlynn safely back to her own bed, then report to the wall for her morning lessons. Tonight, she’d convine with Rosabella for some answers. 

Darling wanted to know what was going on, and she wouldn’t let anything (not even her majesty) stand in the way. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Four: On the Brink

"War is like thunder. You can see it coming from miles away, yet there's very little that can be done to keep it from rolling over you." 

“Keep your eyes closed, my love.” 

“But it’s so dark, mama. I’m scared.” 

“I’m right here; you’re not alone. Now breathe, nice and slow.” 

Six-year-old Briar did as she was told, her gasps shuddering from the tears of being in the dark. She’d been having trouble sleeping, too afraid of the nothingness to rest. Mother had brought her out into the garden, the heat of the bramble woods scorching as it wafted up from the earth. “Good girl. Just relax as I teach you this lesson.” 

“You won’t leave me?” 

“Never. Listen to my voice, let it echo between your ears.” 

Briar could feel mother’s calloused palm holding onto her hand, the warm and familiar fingers clasped around her own. Her mind was too loud, chest aching with the effort of slowing her panicked breathing. “Your eyes may be closed, but you can still see just as well.” Mother pressed Briar’s small fingers to the ground, shifting it firmly into the soft dirt of the garden where they lay side by side. “Do you feel the ground?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“You can see through your fingertips. When in darkness, let your hands guide you. Feel the world’s textures and sear them into your memory, so you don’t forget. Now, what do you hear?” 

“You?” 

Mother chuckled, the sound warm like honey. “What else?” 

Briar strained to listen past the noise in her mind, picking out distant crows as they fluttered in their murders. The onyx wings beat as sharp beaks clacked together, harassing a field mouse scurrying through the brambles. “Crows.” 

“Good. You may not have your sight, but you can see your surroundings with your ears. Listen to the environment and it can tell you so much more than your eyes alone. What about your nose, what can you smell?” 

“Dirt.” Briar wasn’t a fan, the scent causing her face to wrinkle. “It’s bitter.” 

“Well done. Now, you can hear the crows, feel the ground, and smell the dirt. What does that tell you, Briar?” 

“That I’m in the garden?” 

“Mmhm. You know what the garden looks like; now see it for yourself, but keep your eyes closed.” 

“How can I see it if I can’t open my eyes?” 

“Your mind will craft an image for you. The lesson, my little prickle bush, is that eyes can be deceived. It is far easier to trick the mind into believing a truth through the eyes, then it is through any other sense. If I told you we were not in the garden, but back inside, would you believe me?” 

“No.” 

“Why? You can’t see that we’re not inside. How do you know?” 

Briar gasped a bit in understanding, closing her hand in the dirt, listening for the crows, and smelling the earth as it baked around them. “I see it.” 

The garden materialized, a hazy image of what she remembered. Yet her eyes remained shut. She could see without ever needing to blink. It felt like magic, the image becoming clearer in her mind the longer she drew patterns in the ground, inhaled the scent of sweet roses, or listened to the chirp of far-off birdsong. The fear in her chest subsided, something peaceful replacing it. The fear washed away. 

“Listen to me, Briar Rose,” mother said, gently brushing a curl of hair away from her cheek. “When in doubt, trust your instincts. They can protect you better than your own eyes ever can. In the darkness, let your mind travel to places you never thought possible. You don’t just have to hear what’s in this garden…listen, see further, and you’ll find so much waiting for you. Don’t let darkness suffocate your heart, rosebud, as it’s nothing more than a lack of light. You are the light; you can chase your own fears away, so long as you know to shine bright enough. Do you understand?” 

Briar didn’t really, but she nodded, peeling her eyelids open. She stared up at her mother's gaunt but smiling face. “I love you, Briar. Don’t ever forget it.” 

“I love you too, mama.” 

Briar woke from the memory with a jolt, sitting up in bed with a gasp of air. She couldn’t see her bed or the dorm, not like she could before, anyway. But there was a familiar divot in the mattress under her body, while both fists curled in the velvety blankets. She released her white knuckled grip, forcing her fingers apart and bringing them to her face instead. The swelling had gone down significantly, her eyelids no longer pulsing from the breath of nightshade Faybelle used to blind her. It was the last favor the daughter of roses had asked for before letting the dark fae run off into the forest, hopefully to move on from the nightmare that was Ever After. 

“You want me to do what?” Faybelle gawked at her, both hands notched on her narrow hips. “Why?” 

“The eyes can be easily deceived, but they are also windows to one’s soul. Queen Snow White is powerful and smart; I won’t be able to hide what I know for very long if her guard is up. I need her to think I’ve become what she wants in order to find out more information without getting murdered.” 

“So, you want me to take your sight away. Ok, fine. But that seems like suicide to me, what with how many times you’ve almost died already.” Briar pinned Faybelle with an unamused gaze as the fae lifted her hands, wings beating a humming rhythm. “I’m just saying. Losing a sense is deadly to any creature, mortal or not.” 

“I know that. It’s risky for sure, but I can’t not return to Ever After. Do you know much about nightshade?” 

“It’s only a staple in a dark fairies education,” Faybelle boasted. “But it’ll be painful. And the cure is difficult to come by.” 

“I doubt the Queen will want to reverse it. A bit of pain now is better than being killed the minute I step through the door. I need this favor Faybelle, then, you can go, and we never have to see each other again.” 

It hadn’t taken Faybelle long at all to whip up the necessary ingredients, pounding and scorching and grinding the twisting forest plant into a fine grain. One handful of that deadly purple powder was enough to sear Briar’s face and steal her sight. Anymore and it would’ve killed her. The darkness under her burnt eyelids was slightly purple in tint, like she had a sheet thrown over her head. But the plan had worked exactly as she wanted. The Queen assumed she was incapacitated, which was entirely untrue. 

Cautiously moving to sit at the edge of the bed, Briar exhaled deeply, feeling the cold marble floor with her bare feet, and smoothing the wrinkled sheets with her hands. It smelled faintly ashy, meaning the fire had burnt out (meaning it was either late, or very early in the morning). Across the room, she could hear Ashlynn sleeping soundly in her own bed. Certain she wasn’t going to be waking her roommate, Briar stood up, doing her best to imagine the dorm as it was. She could faintly picture it in her unlit mind, recalling the faint outlines of furniture and, after only a few steps, the doorway. Running a palm across the ivory woodgrain, Briar turned the knob and slipped out into the hall. 

“...how could mother do this?” 

Apple’s voice was but a whisper, hoarse and urgent. Puzzled as to why the daughter of Snow White was up so late (or early), Briar stalked closer, curiosity getting the better of her. She dragged the flats of her fingers against the nearest wall, navigating her environment with nothing but her four remaining senses, just a mother had taught her years ago. 

“I don’t have a say in what the Queen want’s, Apple.”  Darling. That made sense, seeing as the white knight was up at all hours, seemingly running on less sleep than she got. The two were conversing in Apple’s room, the door apparently left cracked as Briar stopped just beyond it, sitting against the wall to listen. “I can’t disobey her, not now when I’m already walking such a thin line.” 

“But why you?” Apple’s shoe clicked at she stomped it against the marble tiles, a slight wheeze at the end of her words from her asthma. “Any knight could go. Why does it have to be you?” 

“I don’t know, Apple.” 

“I thought this year was going to be magical, but we’ve only been drifting apart. I want you, Darling. Why can’t you stay?” 

“Because I doubt even your word could keep the Queen from beheading me if I screw up again,” the knight muttered, her armor clanking as she moved. Briar lifted a curious brow. Darling was all suited up? That was strange, even for when she had a patrol on the wall. “All will be well, my dove, I promise.” 

“No! No, no, no. Wonderland is a…a place filled with heathens, savages, and lunatics. If you go there to spy on Queen Andesine, she’ll surely have you beheaded if you get caught.” 

“Queen Andesine is a frail woman.” Darling assured. “She’s been ill for some time, meaning her decision making is all over the map. Queen Snow White needs eyes on her. I was in Wonderland not that long ago and nothing happened. I won’t get caught, Apple, you don’t have to worry.” 

“But I do,” the blonde whimpered, her breathing becoming snotty as tears began to flow. “I don’t want to lose you, Darling. Not ever. Please…just this once. Stay. I’ll deal with my mother.” 

Darling was quiet for a moment, perhaps mulling it over. It wasn’t like her to hesitate; had her faith in Queen Snow White been rattled? It seemed unlikely to Briar, knowing the White Knight was as loyal as any good soldier, but this was also Darling, who had far more moral than her Queen ever did. “I can’t disobey her majesty,” the girl heaved after a beat or two, causing Apple to wail as her hand slammed against a silver breastplate. “I’m sorry.”

“Fine. Then go! Go be a hero for the Queen. But when something awful happens to you, don’t expect any sympathy from me.” Apple’s tone was vicious and mean as she sniffed sharply, her nightgown snapping as she brandished an arm towards the door. “Leave, Darling. Get out.” 

“As…as you wish, Princess.” 

Briar didn’t bother to hide. She didn’t scramble to disappear or guise her eavesdropping, leaning against the wall as Darling left Apple’s room, armor clattering as she closed the door behind her. The knight actually gasped a bit in surprise as Briar stared at her from the darkness, no doubt looking spooky with her milky gaze. “Briar. Pages,” Darling’s metal gloved tinked against her chest as she placed a hand against it. “What are you doing out here?” 

“The conversation wasn’t exactly discreet,” Briar drawled, tilting her head as she blew a curl of hair out of her face. “Why are you going to Wonderland?” 

“Special assignment,” Darling answered simply, shifting on her feet. “I’ll be gone for the foreseeable future; I don’t know how long this mission will take. I had to break the news to Apple.” 

“Hmm. You’re trying to earn the Queen's trust back?” 

“She already had this assignment picked out for me; I have no choice.” 

“Not unless you want to stay on her majesty’s bad side,” Briar agreed simply. “Who is Queen Andesine?” 

Darling grunted in her throat, sounding faintly annoyed. “How much did you hear?” 

“Probably more than you wanted me to. Wonderland doesn’t seem like a very safe place to be fooling around in.” 

“It’s not,” Darling admitted, scratching the skin on her neck or cheek, Briar couldn’t tell which. “This mission is incredibly dangerous. We may have students of Wonderland in Ever After, but it’s not the other way around. Snow White is not a friend of the Red Court.”

“So I assumed. That means anyone wearing her colors isn’t either.” Despite not having her sight, Briar tilted her head, as though giving Darling a look over. “Especially not someone actively spying on who I can only guess is the Red Queen?” 

“I don’t want to take this assignment, Briar.” Darling whispered, shifting again as her metal plating clattered. “I’d much rather stay here scorned than possibly get beheaded in Wonderland–a fate that is near impossible to reverse. But I don’t have a choice. It’s either my head or someone else's.” 

Briar nodded her understanding. Snow White blackmailed Darling to bring her back from the woods, and was probably using it to get her to take this new assignment as well. “So, you’re leaving tonight?” 

“At daybreak, yes.” 

“Hmm. What exactly are you looking for in Wonderland? Queen Andesine sent her daughter here willingly. That’s a pretty big symbol of trust. Why does Queen Snow White need a spy?” 

“Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?’. Her highness doesn’t like that Princess Elizabeth is here, possibly siphoning information back to her mother. Ever After may not be aligned with the Red Court, but we are allied with Queen Ivory, of the White Court. The two sides are currently quarreling.” 

“At war?” 

“Not yet, but getting closer every day. The Queen just wants more intel, as scouts from the White Court can’t even get near the border without catching an arrow to the throat.” 

“You said the Red Queen was sick?” Briar shifted to lean more comfortably against the wall, feeling the texture with her nails. “What do you mean?” 

“It’s hard to say, but rumors claim it was agents of the Court of Chess that poisoned the Red Queen.” 

“Rumors? You mean you’re not sure?” 

“Well, no one saw the poison being given. And Queen Andesine became sick around the time the Evil Queen was captured in Wonderland, so focus was elsewhere.” 

Briar paused for a beat, blinking slowly as her dry eyelids stuck together. “What did you say?” 

“The Evil Queen? She fled to Wonderland after returning to Ever After for revenge on Snow White. It was the White Queen who captured her.” 

Briar’s brain turned over, something important tickling the back of her thoughts. The Evil Queen returned to Ever After for the Storybook of Legends. When she couldn’t find it, she fled to a (seemingly) very dangerous place. Though Briar couldn’t say for sure, seeing as she hardly knew Raven or her story, the idea of the Evil Queen fleeing to a place with a high chance of danger just for the sake of getting away didn’t seem right. “Why Wonderland?” 

“No clue; a better place to hide, maybe? No one really knows what the Evil Queen was after besides power.” 

“Huh.” 

“I need to finish preparations for my journey, it won’t be long now,” Darling sighed, drawing Briar’s blank gaze as an armored hand came to gently hold her arm. “Will you be ok, here?” 

“I’ve had enough excitement to last me a lifetime,” Briar lied, gently patting Darling’s hand. “Thank you for protecting my brothers.” 

“I made a promise to you; one I intend to keep. Just…for Ever After’s sake, please stay out of trouble while I’m gone? I won’t be here to save you every time you piss someone off.” 

“I can handle myself just fine,” Briar assured her. “I can handle that assassin with my eyes shut.” 

“Oh ha, ha, very charming,” Darling huffed, giving Briar a very light shove. “You’ll keep Apple company, won’t you?” 

“She’ll be a nightmare after you leave, you know.” 

“I wish I could stay. I always want to, you know, for her. But the time is never right.” 

“If Apple is really meant to be your true love, she’ll understand,” Briar offered, though the advice felt hollow. After all, what did she know about happily ever after? “Try not to die out there, Darling.” 

“No promises. See you later, Briar. Stay out of trouble.” 

Nodding, Briar listened as Darling turned, her armor clattering as she left the warm safety of the common room. Around her, more noises were happening behind closed doors, meaning the school was beginning to stir for the morning. Standing by Apple’s door, running a hand along the edge of her jaw, Briar puzzled over the new information.

Ever After was allying with the White Court, possibly preparing for war against the Court of Cards in Wonderland. If that was true, why was Lizzie out of her realm? It made little sense to Briar, though she didn’t know much about Wonderland and its customs when it came to battle (though from what Maddie said, it didn’t seem like quarrels were all that uncommon). That being said, who had poisoned the Red Queen? Why would Snow White ally with a court accused of doing such a thing? Could the Evil Queen have done it while she was in Wonderland? Why was the Evil Queen there in the first place? So many questions and not enough answers. Sighing as she rested against the wall, hearing Apple’s wailing cries from inside her room, the daughter of roses made a plan in her purple tinted mind. 

She needed to know more about the Evil Queen’s intentions for the Storybook of Legends…meaning she needed to find a way to speak to Raven again. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Five: I, the Villain

"Love is the same as addiction. You want it until it becomes toxic, but by then, it won't ever let you go." 

Raven wasn’t very good at being evil. Not that she was trying very hard, but still. She had a lot of evil deeds to fulfill when there wasn’t a drop of cruelty in her body (or so she liked to think). It was nice being out of her tower, not trapped staring at the same stony walls all day. But the classes were droll and her patience was thin. The Evil Queen had left an impressive legacy behind, one Raven wasn’t particularly keen on following. Thankfully, her presence in the villainy classrooms was enough to get Snow White off her back, at least for the moment. After all, Briar Rose Beauty had been ‘kidnapped’ right under her majesty's nose, only to return blind and wounded. 

Raven didn’t fully believe in the rumors flying around Ever After, at least not fully. It felt more like a fable being spun; a tall tale that definitely happened, but was twisted in a way she didn’t understand yet. Something had occurred out in the woods that night—the proof was clear in Briar’s colorless gaze—but Raven knew something was amiss, though it was hard to say how. She felt the magic of their world ripple as villain and princess vanished together, like a thread had snapped someplace in the fog. Though she wasn’t any expert in magic (she dabbled, at best), it felt too much like the breaking of a powerful curse. Curse breaking was no easy feat. Not only that, but Faybelle Thorn didn’t seem like the type to leave things unfinished. She and Briar had been at each other's throats since they met, a tit for tat, or so Apple would say. 

If Faybelle wanted to kill the daughter of roses, she would have done it already. No contest. No question. Yet Briar walked on her own two legs out of the forest, battered and blind, yet still fearless. Or so Raven had heard through the grapevine. 

Sitting against the wall under her tower window, listening to the sounds of a drumming storm, Raven summoned and chased away familiar purple butterflies with her fingers. She wanted to call Briar in order to get answers for the array of questions scratching at her mind. She wanted to be selfish and know the truth, yet she hesitated. The Legacy of Sleeping Beauty had already been through so much, and it wasn’t good of Raven to call on her now. Not only that, but would she be so willing to clamber up a tower wall blind? Knowing Briar and her recklessness, it wasn’t that far-fetched. But Raven didn’t think it wise to encourage her.  

Sighing and resting against the cold cobble, the future EQ was faintly dozing in and out when something odd tickled her belly. It was a vibration, faint, like her magic was expecting something exciting to happen. Allowing her head to rise and her eyes to slide open, the shattered mirror in her vanity flashed. Forced to raise her arms—she didn’t want to be blind too—there was a solid thump as something passed into her tower. The glow faded as quickly as it appeared, once again leaving the room silent. But in the wake of the magic, a body had been spat out onto the stones. 

Raven blinked in surprise at the girl who’d just been in her thoughts a moment ago, almost like destiny had brought her here at her request. “Briar?” 

“… pages, I actually made it?” The Princess lifted her face, blind as a bat as she awkwardly grabbed at her body, sighing in relief. “Nothing missing, thank the maker.” 

“Briar, how did you get here?” Raven awkwardly clambered to her feet, gangly legs nearly collapsing under her awkward weight as she took her…friend’s…arms (was Briar a friend to her? An acquaintance? It was hard to say). “Are you ok?” 

“I hate magic,” the girl spat, her calloused fingers wrapping around Raven’s pale arms, holding them tight as she regained her balance. Raven didn’t realize how tall she was, limber and well built, her warm skin a tangle of vicious scars (both old and new). 

“But you’re ok?”

“Yeah.” Briar inhaled and exhaled deeply, raking her hand through her hair and forcing rich walnut bangs behind her ears. “I’m good.” 

“How did you even get in here?” 

“It’s a long story, but I know a guy.” 

“A guy?” Raven arched a curious brow as Briar tilted her head, giving a tricky smile and a dry chuckle. 

“Mhm. A guy who just so happens to have a mirror portal in his basement. Convenient, right?” 

“Very.” Raven explored Briar’s face, once separated by bars and distance, now crystal clear before her. She frowned at the lack of color in the girl's eyes, mourning the loss of the vicious red that once made her gaze so intense. “I’m so sorry.” 

“Sorry?” It was Briar’s turn to look puzzled. “For what?” 

“Your eyes.” 

There was a pause. A beat that felt just too long as Briar nodded and averted her gaze. “ Oh . Don’t be sorry, there are worse things to lose than your sight.” 

“But what happened with Faybelle? How’d you…I mean…she almost killed you once already.” 

“We fought, I got away, and she fled Ever After to avoid the Queen. There’s not much else to tell, really. I just got lucky, I guess.” 

Raven could practically taste the lie, scrunching her nose at its bitterness. The answer was brisk, uninformative, and so blatantly false it couldn’t be missed. The message it conveyed, however, was loud and clear: I can’t tell you what happened. “But I’m not here for idle chat. I have a question.” 

“Shoot.” 

“Your mom. She was captured in Wonderland, right?” 

“Y-yeah, she was. I didn’t tell you that, did I?” 

“No. Darling mentioned it.”  

“Of course she did.” Raven scoffed at the mere idea of Knight Shining Star. Apple was all over her like a piece of bacon left to dry. It was disgusting. “What about it?” 

“Why Wonderland?” Briar pivoted despite her lack of sight, beginning a slight pace on her feet. “It’s not a very safe place to go, is it? Even for someone like your mom?” 

“Not without a token from a Wonderland Court,” Raven confirmed, sitting on her nearby trunk and crossing her ankles. “Mother and Red Queen Andesine used to be close when they attended Ever After together. I always assumed she expected protection within the borders of the Red Court.” 

“They were friends?” Briar’s expression was openly surprised as she stopped, placing both hands on her hips. “You’re sure?” 

“They were friends until the Red Queen betrayed her.” 

“Betrayed how?” 

“She threw my mother to the wolves at graduation. Andesine refused to support mom not signing the book at Legacy Day, claiming it was treasonous. ‘Off with her head’ and all that. They didn’t speak again after that.” 

“I see.” Briar pulled her lip with a nail, seemingly in deep thought. “So when the Evil Queen failed to steal the Storybook of Legends from Ever After, she went straight to Wonderland for the Red Queen’s protection?” 

“As far as I know.” Raven could only shrug, realizing Briar couldn’t actually see the motion as she huffed. “What’s on your mind, Princess? My mom’s capture isn’t all that important. It got her killed in the end.” 

“But it is; it’s beyond important. Raven, can’t you see what this means? Wonderland isn’t a safe place and the Queen obviously didn’t have a token to protect her while there, yet she went anyway. Pardon my saying so, but someone as self-serving as the Evil Queen wouldn’t go to Wonderland with all that risk for no reward.” 

Raven opened her mouth to deny it, then clacked her jaw shut. Annoyingly, Briar was correct. Her mother was evil, not stupid. She probably knew the Red Queen wouldn’t protect her in Wonderland; she knew going to such a place was risky. Yet that’s where she ended up. 

“Why was mom in Wonderland?” Raven rubbed her neck as she thought, blinking as a familiar key was held out in front of her eyes, dangling on a chain. Briar awkwardly balanced on her bent knees, letting the artifact swing. The storm cleared as Raven gasped in surprise. “The book.” 

“The Evil Queen was after one thing and one thing only when she went to Wonderland, and it wasn’t for the Red Queen’s protection.” 

“But…why? Why would the Storybook of Legends be in Wonderland?” 

“Because Queen Snow White is allied with Queen Ivory against the Red Court. What better place to hide an important artifact than a place that’s legendary for its cruelty?” 

“If you’re right, then the book is as good as gone,” Raven complained, shaking her head as a small flicker of hope was smothered inside her. “We can barely leave the school, let alone get all the way to Wonderland without dying.” 

“Nothing’s impossible. And with my luck the way it is, maybe we’ll get a break.” Briar laughed, actually laughed, her chest rattling as her blind eyes scrunched. She returned the key to her neck, tucking it deep into her shirt. “We’re one step closer to unraveling this mess, which is one step further than we were yesterday.” 

Raven nodded faintly, her heart dropping at the sound of familiar clacking footsteps coming up the cobblestone steps. Apple. 

“Pages, someone’s coming. You need to hide.” 

“Where?” 

“Uh,” Raven hurriedly looked around the room, pulling Briar to the old standing wardrobe. “This won’t be super comfortable.” Shoving the princess inside and closing her in, the EQ was just in time to fall on her bed when the wooden door creaked open. There was Apple White. She looked… awful, somehow paler than usual with her hair a mess and her brilliant eyes red ringed. “Apple? What happened to you?”

Apple sighed wearily, opening the gate into her tower. Raven found the smaller Princess in her arms, clinging to her so tight she almost couldn’t breathe. Inhaling the scent of cinnamon ground into the beautiful gold of her hair, Raven flexed her fists. Rocking the girl as she held on, the door to the wardrobe faintly creaked open. Briar was listening in, no doubt. After all, the last person meant to be in her arms was the girl she was destined to poison. Briar would certainly have questions later. 

“The Queen sent Darling to Wonderland on an assignment,” Apple croaked eventually, her voice breaking as Raven held back an eye roll. Of course this was about Darling Charming. Raven was Apple’s rebound whenever she and her lover were having problems. Rip her heart out, just to come crawling back when there were no other options available. “I’m so worried for her, Raven.” 

Good riddance. “She’ll be fine.” 

“How can you say that? Wonderland is a cruel place filled with cruel people. She could die.” 

Who cares? “She’ll come back.” 

“But what if she doesn’t?” 

We’d be better off. “Don’t worry about that, ok? Darling always comes back; she knows what she’s doing.” 

Raven also knew the game. She hated playing it, whispering soft things into Apple’s ear as she wheezed and worried herself into a fit. Tonight she seemed to be after more, running the tips of her ruby nails down the curve of Raven’s spine. After all this time, it still annoyed the EQ that Apple had such an impact on her. Even knowing she was just the rebound; knowing Apple had a girlfriend who was loyal and could gut her the moment she found out, the royal’s touch still made her shiver. 

“Kiss me?” Shaking out of her thoughts, Raven glanced down her nose into Apple’s pleading blue eyes. “Please?” 

“No.” Taking hold of the princesses thin wrists, Raven pushed her away. “We can’t do this anymore, Apple.” 

“It’s just for tonight, I swear. I’m so lonely without Darling.” 

“And being disloyal to her with someone else is doing her any favors?” 

“You’re so cruel,” Apple whispered, hugging herself as she gave a dramatic sniffle. “After all that I’ve done for you?” 

“What can I say, I’m the villain or whatever.” Shrugging, Raven turned her back, placing her hands on the windowsill. “I keep telling you to scram, yet you keep coming back anyway.” 

“Because you’re my friend.”

“Friends don’t kiss friends, Apple,” Raven groaned, dragging both hands down her face. “You made your choice when you picked Darling over me. You can’t have it both ways.” 

“But…” 

“I said no, Apple, and that’s it. I thought you were all about following your legacy?” 

“I am. I will be the next Snow White.” 

“Then let me make this crystal clear,” Raven pivoted on her heel, letting the rage of her powers ignite as her palms glowed a ferocious purple. “I’ll be the Evil Queen. You hurt me deeper than anyone ever could, and I hate you for it.” Apple gasped, holding a delicate hand to her chest. “Got that, princess?” 

“I…I understand.” 

“Good, now get lost! Before I change my mind.” 

Apple hesitated, something strange crossing her face before she lowered her head and sprinted from the tower in a new fit of tears. Raven watched her go, extinguishing her magic as guilt instantly welled in her chest. She loved Apple…once upon a time. But she supposed their being together was never meant to be; not like this, not when a legacy kept them miles apart with a sword in between. Falling to rest against the window with a deep and exhausted sigh, there was a shallow creak as Briar cautiously emerged from the wardrobe. 

“I suppose you don’t want to talk about it, huh?” 

“Not really. It’s a long story; don’t bother.” 

Briar crossed her arms, stepping towards Raven’s voice and gently finding the curve of her shoulder. “Do you suppose Darling would be heartbroken, knowing Apple’s loyalty wasn’t as sure as her own?” 

“I don’t know. Maybe she would, but then again, destiny is sure. Or so they’ve been told. Perhaps it just doesn’t matter in the end.” 

“We’ll do what we can to make it matter,” Briar assured her, smiling, though the expression didn’t quite reach her pale white eyes. “Now, I should probably get out of here. Ashlynn’s no doubt wondering where I ended up.” 

“Yeah. Are you…uh, going back through the mirror?” 

“Well, I didn’t exactly think very far ahead, so I don’t think that’ll work. Do you have any, you know, ideas?” 

Smirking, Raven rubbed her fingers together, feeling the static jump between the digits. “I might have a few.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Six: Interlude (Long Live the Red Queen)

Chase’s armor was loud. It echoed in the tall, cathedral halls of the Red Castle as he ran. Each footstep sounded like a gong, the metal plates clattering and scraping together as he sprinted towards her majesty's chambers. Sweat pooled in his wisps of dark hair, heart leaping in fear of the news. 

The Queen was dying. 

She’d been unwell for some time; everyone in the Red Court knew it. But could today really be the day? Floundering around a corner, nearly hitting the opposite wall in his haste, this section of the castle was filled with people. All of them were somber…silent…Chase’s hope died, extinguished like a flame on a dying wick. Slowing his pace to something more respectful, he grappled the hilt of his sword with a gauntlet, swallowing a handful of stones as he approached the Queen’s room. Just outside it, his father waited, one hand still against the door as though he’d lost his will to stand. 

“Father?” The Red Knight lifted his head, Jabberwocky torn cheeks scarred and casting warped shadows. His normally tricky red eyes were dull; Chase knew what had occurred without the need for words. But he asked anyway, as was proper. “Father, what news is there? Her majesty…is she…?” 

“Queen Andesine…the Red Queen…is dead.” 

Chase’s heart stopped. His stepmother…dead? It was hard to believe, but the Crimson Son knew it to be true. Illness had finally taken the Queen of the Red Court, meaning their world was about to change. Probably not for the better, either. 

“And Princess Elizabeth?” Chase met his father’s even gaze. The elder twitched, knuckles curling against the door. With the Queen dead, his duty as the Knave of Hearts was over. He has lost his love, and Chase had lost a mother. His heart screamed, but tears refused to fall. Not here, not with so much of the court watching, waiting for instructions on what to do next. 

“Queen Elizabeth must be informed of her mother’s passing immediately. She must return to Wonderland to take her place upon the throne.” 

“What of her majesty's mission, father? Who will go at a time so bleak?” 

“We can only pray that the young Queen found her champion swiftly, the one foretold by the prophecy. As for who will go, it must be you.” 

Chase shifted on his feet. “Me, father?” 

“Yes, son. I have lost my heart this day and I must mourn. You are young; you will be faster than I.” 

“I…understand. It would be my honor.” Chase dipped his head, armor clattering as he did. “The prisoner our scouting party captured at daybreak will not be leaving our dungeons anytime soon, sir. As you ordered.” 

Father tilted his head. “Good. We will allow her majesty to deal with the White Queen’s spy when she returns. What of the creature?” 

“Vanished through the portal and into the Westing Wood.” 

“Very well, we will not waste our energy hunting for it there. It will show itself again when the time is right.” The Red Knight sighed, using a hand to push dark hair back from his face. He looked so tired, as though the weight of a thousand stones now rested on his shoulders. Chase ached for his father, but he also knew that now wasn’t the time for weak comforts. The Red Court was without a Queen, and a Kingdom without its ruler was vulnerable to attack. “The kingdom must remain in mourning until Elizabeth returns. Take the guard with you to Ever After, make sure nothing happens to her. Lest we all perish under the White Queen’s wrath.” 

“I won’t fail you, father.” 

“I know you won’t, boy. May the cards be in your favor. Now go.” 

Giving his father another sharp bow as the man brandished a finger, Chase turned and left the hall. His heart ached, yes, but he’d now been given a mission. He had to reach Ever After; he had to reach the Queen. 

War was coming to Wonderland, and it was time for his stepsister to take the throne.

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Unsettled Destiny

“You know a storm is coming when the sky is dark as death, but rain has yet to start falling.”

The Queen was pacing. 

Briar could hear her moving back and forth across her office, each breath coming in annoyed and huffy grunts. Something had irked her majesty, though it was difficult to say what. 

Was she upset that Faybelle was still on the loose? Briar knew the dark fairy hadn’t been caught yet. Briar didn’t ask where she planned on going, as knowing little was safer than knowing more. Still, there was some curiosity there. Where had Faybelle vanished that Queen Snow White couldn’t reach? 

Was she upset about Darling, perhaps? Briar hadn’t heard anything about the White Knight since she’d taken wing to Wonderland. It was possible she was just lying low, collecting the intel her majesty desired, but that seemed impossible for someone as easy to spot as Darling Charming. How safe was Wonderland for a spy of the Ever Queen? 

More likely than not, Snow White was annoyed with her own daughter. Apple had been unusually snippish since Darling left, brooding and lacking her usual shimmering charm. She wasn’t mean, at least not towards her friends and classmates, but Briar knew she hadn’t spoken a kind word to her mother in nearly a week. It was obvious that Apple blamed her mother for Darling’s departure, which was correct. But there was also Apple’s own transgressions. Being in the high tower of her own villain? Were Briar not a keeper of secrets, it would’ve been scandalous. 

She respected Raven enough not to pry. 

So caught up in her own thoughts, Briar jumped as something sharp bit at her shoulder blades. The books currently balanced on her head wobbled, but she quickly rebalanced, growling in annoyance at the Queen. The woman stood nearby; her perfume was pungent.

“You’re drifting, dear,” the woman chirped, though her annoyance shone through the facade. “Focus on the lesson please.” 

“It’s easier to focus without your pacing, your highness,” Briar answered simply, using a hand to gently nudge the stack back onto her scalp. Queen Snow White caught her by surprise with a slight chuckle, something dry…almost tired. How much (or how little) sleep was the White Queen getting? 

“I see your ears are working better than your eyes, Miss Rose,” The woman drawled, casually adding another book to the already heavy stack. “If only you were so keen on your studies.” 

Briar chuffed, matching her majesties uninterested tone. “Are you going to share with the class, or am I just another piece of statuary?” 

“My affairs are none of your concern.” 

“Trouble in paradise, my Queen?” Briar laced the title with as much malice as she could manage, her neck beginning to ache with the struggle of holding up her burden. 

“My daughter is being difficult, as teenagers tend to be.” 

“You sent her ‘true love’ into a perilous situation.” Briar was sure to make air quotes around ‘true love’, resulting in a very quick strike to her knuckles as she winced and put her hands down. “I can’t really blame her for being anxious.” 

“My daughter has enough mind to squash those sorts of emotions. As a future Queen, she’ll have more to deal with than petty matters of the heart.” 

“She’s not Queen yet,” Briar mumbled, rolling her eyes. “She’s also sixteen.” 

“I was married and ruling by her age,” the woman complained. “Her life is soft.” 

“And who’s fault is that?” 

The Queen sniffed sharply. “You are as reckless with your mouth as you are with your body, Princess.” 

“So I’ve been told.” 

“I’m pleased with your progress in our tutoring, but not with your ability to hold your tongue. Perhaps I should just cut it out and render you mute as well as blind?” 

Briar hesitated, unwillingly keeping her mouth shut. She knew Queen Snow White would follow through with her threat; she didn’t want to lose her ability to speak. The sound of triumph that came from the elder woman made Briar want to strangle her, but she still remained quiet. “That’s what I thought. Silence is a virtue, my dear. The sooner you learn that, the easier it will be.” 

Gasping in relief as the Queen removed the books from her head, Briar winced and rolled her neck, feeling the sore vertebrae with her fingertips. “This lesson is dismissed. I expect you back tomorrow, on time, and with less to say.” 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“Hexcellent. Now go, I wish to be alone.” 

Giving a very shallow bow, Briar left the familiar office. Stepping out into the hall and taking a long breath, she turned and followed her familiar path back to the dorms. Running her fingertips along the walls, her usual route committed to memory, the daughter of roses let her mind wander. She thought about Faybelle and where she may have ended up. She thought of Darling, lost or hiding someplace in Wonderland. She thought of her brothers, hopefully still alive and safe. With Knight Shining Star gone, how easy would it be for the Queen to kill her family. 

Too easy, Briar decided blandly. Too easy. 

Unlike her first day at Ever After, where the heirs of villainous legacies were wailing and crying out in pain and fear, the hall was silent now. Becoming complacent in the Queen’s game was forced; what else could you do but succumb? Briar herself had been shorn of some of her edges, battered down until she just didn’t have the energy to fight anymore. But her edges weren’t just a facade. They ran deep, tangled around her heart like the brambles that raised and protected her as a child. 

She may have seemed complacent, but that was far from the truth. 

Passing through the common room, it seemed that everyone else was already asleep. Well…all except one. Entering the dorm, Ashlynn set her pen down with a soft clatter. 

“Briar.” 

“Ash.” 

“How was tutoring with the Queen?” 

“Torture.” Running a hand through her hair and ruffling it, there was a chair scrape as Ashlynn stood and crossed the room. “Everything ok?” 

“I’m the one who should be asking you.” The daughter of Cinderella took up her hands, turning the palms and observing the knuckles. She tutted at the single new lash there. “Really?” 

“It wasn’t as bad today. Her majesty had other things on her mind.” 

“Other things? Like what?” 

“Trouble with Apple, mainly.” Briar’s eyes fluttered shut as Ashlynn caressed her cheek, using a thumb to trace the outer edge of her eye. “It’s not really a surprise.” 

“She’s certainly been gloomy since Darling left,” Ash agreed. “But that doesn’t hinder her creativity. She dropped off more clothes for you earlier.” 

Briar nodded silently, sighing as she leaned a bit into Ashlynn’s touch. The contact wasn’t quite so scary these days; it was a comfort to know she was there. 

“How are your eyes?” 

“No better than before. Without the curse’s specific cure, it’s not going to change.” 

“I still can’t believe Queen Snow White won’t allow Baba Yaga to make something,” Ashlynn sounded displeased, a bit of iron laced in her words. “It’s cruel, making you live like this.” 

“Maybe.” Briar felt something hot burn the underside of her heart. She hated lying to Ashlynn; someone who had only ever been on her side. But it was safer for everyone that way. After all, truth couldn’t be told if no one knew the truth in the first place. Thinking back on what she’d been pondering in the hall, Briar gently took Ashlynn’s wrist. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Of course.” 

“If you had the chance to escape, even the slightest chance, would you?” 

Ashlynn was quiet for a beat, then two. The whirring of her mind was obvious as she debated with herself. A small sigh escaped her then. “I would try.” 

Relief flooded Briar’s heart. “Where would you go?” 

“Rosabella said her parents' castle is well defended,” Ashlynn’s fingers dug a bit harder into Briar’s arm. “I’d go there.” 

“Rosabella would go too?” 

“I think many of us would, knowing now that it’s actually possible. Faybelle did it and so did you, at least for a while.” 

“Hm. If you could leave but I couldn’t come with you, would you still go?” 

“I…” Ashlynn choked on her breath. “What kind of question is that?” 

“An important one. Would you still leave?” 

“I don’t know.” 

Briar took Ashlynn’s arms, giving the soft skin a squeeze. “You go. Even if no one else can make it out with you, you run as far away from here as you can.” 

“Briar, I don’t know if I’m brave enough to do that.” 

“Anywhere is better than here. And if you ever get that chance, you take it. Do you understand?” 

“I do.” 

“Good.” Briar heaved a tried breath, catching a piece of Ashlynn’s hair between her fingers. “This place isn’t foolproof. It’s full of cracks and fissures; bound to collapse eventually, maybe even soon. If you can get others out with you, do it. Take as many as you can. But if you can’t, you go alone. You trust me on that?” 

“I trust you.” 

“Ok,” Briar forced a smile, though she didn’t feel much like smiling. “Ok.” 

Ashlynn was silent, her breathing hitched and her chest hurting. The hug wasn’t completely unexpected, but Briar still wasn’t sure what to do with her arms as her roommate clung onto her chest, fingers pulling at the back of her dress. Ashlynn was perceptive, Briar knew that well enough. Despite all that she’d been through, sticking her head in fireplaces hadn’t tarnished her quick wits. Perhaps she felt the tides changing. Or, more likely, she sensed Briar’s own unease and knew something was up. It wasn’t easy to say which was which. 

It took a while for Ashlynn to finally settle down to sleep. She tossed and turned, jerking awake every so often from some nightmare or another. But when her familiar breathing cadence finally came, the dorm deathly silent in the dark night, Briar rolled off her bed and onto the floor. Prying up the single askew board and feeling around in the hole, she grabbed onto her Life Deck. The cards felt familiar in her hands, buzzing with magic. Lizzie had been uncommonly scarce since she returned from the woods, but Briar had sensed Kitty’s presence following her around in the shadows. 

They were keeping a close eye on her, though Briar still didn’t really know why. 

Untying the deck and spreading it with her fingers, the cards had once again changed. She noticed it upon first touching them without her sight. They had little bumps on them, outlining each image and mimicking the letters of their faces. She could see them clearly with her fingertips. Giving the deck a quick shuffle, Briar had no particular question in mind. She didn’t particularly like the idea of looking into the future; such things were against nature (at least that’s what her mother would say). Still, the deck had brought her helpful insight. It told her how to find Giles, it gave her an idea of how to speak to Raven in her tower the past fortnight, and now…? Well, the cards would speak for themselves. 

Spreading the deck face down with a hand, Briar waved her palm over them. She could hear the cards move, flipping themselves over in a line. Unlike before though, where only one card revealed itself, all of them turned. It began with the smallest, weakest card, traveling in intensity up the line like a wall of cavilry. And, at the end, with a bit of space between the second to last and the final card, was the red Queen of Hearts. She was on her own, separated from the deck. Briar explored the face with her hands, frowning in confusion. What did this draw mean?  

“Something big is coming.” 

Jerking in surprise at the voice, the faint scent of vanilla in the air gave the intruder away. 

“Kitty. Pages, don’t do that.” Placing a hand against her chest, Briar wearily listened to make sure Ashlynn was still asleep. “What are you doing here?” 

“The cards speak for themselves, you know,” the Wonderlandian whispered, though her voice echoed, as if she were everywhere at once. “Something is coming and you must be ready.” 

“Did Lizzie send you?” 

“Her majesty is in mourning, but not for long.” 

“Mourning?” Briar scrunched her brows. “What do you mean?” 

“Something has happened in Wonderland, something awful. Things are about to change, daughter of roses; but it is unclear how.” 

“Do you ever say what you mean, or do you just like annoying me with riddles?” 

“A bit of both.” Kitty chuckled, though it wasn’t quite as perky as usual. “I am giving you a warning, from one token of the Red Queen to another. Destiny is unsettled, be weary.” 

With a soft whoosh of air, Kitty and her perfume vanished. Briar blindly squinted at where she had just been, the cards still caught under her fingertips. 

Destiny was unsettled…Lizzie was in mourning…something was coming? Briar pursed her lips hard, feeling copper leak through the badly chapped gaps. 

What in Ever After was going on in Wonderland?

Chapter Text

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Glass Courage 

"Courage doesn't mean you're not afraid, just that you won't let that fear stop you." 

What could be defined as courage? Was it Darling, running towards danger with her sword glinting in a blaze of glory? Was it Apple, studying hard to become a Queen of a vast kingdom, fighting every day for the love and adoration of her people? Or was it Briar, fearlessly (and recklessly) jumping into perilous situations with little thought of what may become of her? 

It was hard to say.

Ashlynn didn’t ever consider herself courageous. She was meek, flimsy, not the sort to toss herself to the wind, unknowing where she’d end up. Yet the more she thought about it, the more her ‘caution’ morphed into crippling fear. Fear of the future. Fear of the past. Fear of what was and what could be. It was a sickly feeling, being afraid. Ash was scared to death of her stepmother and stepsisters, but they weren’t anything but human. They were just mortals, not ghouls, or dragons or specters of any kind. She wasn’t like Briar, who had supposedly faced down monstrous beasts in a forest of thorns, or Darling who’d laid waste to dragons. She was chained by nothing but her own disposition and the family she once thought would raise her. 

Once, she mused, but no longer. 

How could it be that she was so easily frightened by humans? Humans who were, in a way, no more courageous or fearless than her. Back home, Ashlynn felt trapped. She wept at the windows, looking out across the land wishing for freedom. Yet the doors were never locked; there was no wall to scale, or monster to skin. She could come and go as easily as the tide, yet she stayed anyway. There was nothing keeping her down but the barriers of her own self. Despite all her wishing for things to change, they never did. They probably never would until destiny decided it for her. 

But that’s the thing about wishes. It’s hopeful, waiting for something else to make your dreams come true. But it was the same as waiting for the golden goose to lay an egg in your lap. It could happen, but you’re far more likely to find success going straight to the goose yourself, rather than hoping it might come to you. It wasn’t ‘caution’ keeping her enslaved, it was destiny. And destiny–as Briar had proven–was flexible. So the question returned to Ash’s mind, the very same which her roommate had posed just a fortnight ago. 

If you had a chance to leave, would you? 

“...Ash?” Farrah jostled her with an elbow, drawing her attention from the mindless doodles she’d been making all over her homework. “Are you ok?” 

“What?” 

“You’ve been so quiet today, is everything alright?” 

“Y-yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?” Ash didn’t like lying to Farrah, someone she’d come to trust. But she also didn’t know if she would understand, seeing as the future Fairy Godmother took her role seriously. 

“You obviously have something on your mind. I can see it in your eyes.” Farrah caressed Ashlynn’s cheek, running a cold thumb across the bone. “What’s wrong?” 

“Oh…nothing, really. I’m just thinking about something Briar said last night.” Farrah rolled her eyes slightly, something that caused Ash to frown in confusion. “What’s that look for?” 

“Briar says a lot of things, Ash. Don’t think too much of it, it’ll drive you mad.” 

“Briar is someone I trust, Farrah. One of the few I can, just like you.” 

“She’s just so cynical, is all,” the fairy complained, running her nails across her textbook. “Briar causes trouble wherever she goes; you don’t need to get tied up in that, nor should you be thinking too much on what she claims to be true.” 

“Cynical?” Ash fought back a scoff. “Farrah, you’ve seen what she’s been through. What her destiny is. I think she has every right to not look on the bright side of things. And, quite frankly, I agree.” 

“You agree because Briar sees nothing but the bad in the world; that’s the problem with cynics. You are going to have a marvelous life, Ash. You’ll have a prince, a palace, a kingdom to rule and people who adore you. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want that.” 

“Because I refuse to only think about myself,” Ash said, pushing her chair back to put some space between her and Farrah. “This place tells us to be happy with our destinies, yet there are so many others who are suffering under them. And just because I have a promised life someday, doesn’t mean I won’t end up suffering myself before ever reaching it.” 

“Ash, you only ever think of others. Why don’t you ever think of yourself?” 

“I am thinking of myself. I’ve lost everything; my father, my home, my dignity? All for some stupid fairytale life that I’m ‘supposedly’ going to have. Does having zero certainty in your future not bother you?” 

“No, it doesn’t, because I trust destiny.” Farrah placed a hand on her’s, blinking as Ash quickly pulled it away. “And you should too.” 

Ashlynn scowled faintly. “You’re starting to sound like the Queen.” 

“All I’m saying is that Briar isn’t a good influence on you. She doesn’t know anything about destiny; she’s guessing, just like the rest of us. You don’t know the future, therefore she doesn’t either.” 

“So what?” 

“So you shouldn’t be taking everything she says to heart. You said it yourself, we have no idea what the future holds, so we might as well have solace in the destinies that have already played out in our past.” 

“I can’t do that, Farrah. I just…can’t.” Gathering her things, Ashlynn stood from their study table, leaving her friend behind. She knew of course that Farrah probably wouldn’t understand. Not that she had poor intentions; she wanted what was best for her friend’s wellbeing. Unfortunately, Ashlynn was naturally flighty and lack of certainty scared her. Therefore, having destiny broken time and time again before her eyes, put her on edge. Stepping out into the hall, students were milling around before lunchtime. Ash weaved her way through them, steadfast in her goal of getting away from people as soon as possible. She needed time to think, time to reflect, time to wonder about what had Briar so unsettled. Despite not having known the daughter of roses for long, Ash had a pretty good idea of her moods. 

Last night was not one she’d ever seen. 

There was an urgency to her roommate, a desperation that wove through her question as a needle worked through silk. Promise you’ll go, even if I can’t come with you. What was that supposed to mean? Of course Ash knew that Briar was a keeper of secrets; it wasn’t any of her business what those secrets happened to be. But ever since returning from the forest that night, Briar had been…different, somehow. She spoke very little outside the dorms or amongst their friends, returning with less and less lashings from the Queen’s tutoring. This meant one of two things: Briar was getting better at holding her tongue, or she was staying silent for a reason. Neither brought her any sort of comfort. 

Turning a corner, Ashlynn finally saw the person who she needed to speak with. Rosabella was standing at her locker, lost in the midst of the fat textbook in her hands. 

“Bella.” Grabbing the girl's arm to pull her along, she nearly lost her glasses with a squeal of surprise. 

“Ash? What are you doing?” 

“Come with me.” 

“Why?” 

“I have to ask you something.” Dragging the taller girl along behind her, Ash guided her out of the throngs of students into a secluded corner of the school. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching, closing two hands around the strap of her bag. 

“Ash, what is going on?” 

“I’m uneasy.” 

Bella blinked confusedly down at her. “Uneasy how ?” 

“Briar’s been acting really…odd…as of late? I’m worried.” 

“Isn’t Briar always acting a little odd?” Ash shook her head solemnly as the light fled from her companions eyes. “Oh. Elaborate please, I’m not with you.” 

“Briar keeps secrets, a lot of them, and it’s not usually any of my business. But she knows something that I don’t. Whatever that thing is, it’s making her jittery.” 

“Jittery isn’t a word I’d use to describe Briar, but alright,” Bella shrugged, frowning. “I don’t know any more than you do, if that’s what you’re wondering. She’s your roommate.” 

“No, I just…we discussed safe places beyond Ever After before.” 

“Yeah, of course. You should always have a place to go in case of an emergency.” 

“Right. But when you said your castle was always open, do you mean it?” 

Bella shifted, her previous lighthearted focus becoming stern and worried. “What are you talking about?” 

“I mean, if we had to…you know, go elsewhere…the Kingdom of Roses is an out?” 

“Yes. Our castle is a fortress; it has a moat and everything. Ash, what is going on? Why are you asking me?” 

“I just…trust Briar’s intuition too much to ignore it. And if she’s jittery, then so am I. Seeing as I’m not necessarily courageous, I wanted to have a backup plan. Something that’s guaranteed, just in case.” 

“Just in case? You’re sure about that? No one is threatening you or…?” 

“No, no. I’m just being cautious, that’s all.” 

“Hmm.” Bella didn’t seem fully ready to accept the answer, her face twisting in confusion. “What did Briar say that put you on edge?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Clearly not ‘nothing’.” Bella made air quotes with her fingers. “You’re jumpier than a hop-toad in summer.” 

“She just asked if I…if I would leave, if I ever got the chance. That’s all.” 

“What chance? This place is guarded all day every day. Briar and Faybelle getting out was a one off. I doubt the Queen would let something like that happen again.” 

Ash nodded her agreement but ran a finger across the edge of her bottom lip. “If there’s one thing Briar taught me, it’s that nothing is certain, especially when it comes to destiny. Anything could happen at any time.” 

“She’s rubbing off on you too much,” Bella muttered, removing her glasses to clean the lenses. “But I suppose there's wisdom in fearing the future.” 

“I don’t want to be afraid of it,” Ash complained, pushing some hair over her shoulder as she glared into the ground. “I just want to know that I can determine that future for myself, not relying on a destiny that may or may not come true.” 

“Now you’re really sounding like Briar.” 

“If you had to leave, would you, Bella?” 

“Absolutely. Forced to make nice with a beast who just so happens to be a prince? It sounds like a nightmare.” 

“Even if he’s your true love?” 

“Even if.” Rosabella tilted her head, pausing suddenly as she did. Her eyes darted off to one side, her shoulders growing taught. Ash, seeing the sudden change of demeanor, frowned. 

“Bel…?” 

“Hush.” The girl held up a finger, craning her neck around the column where they were hiding. 

“What is it?” 

“Screaming.” 

Puzzled, Ash gasped and ducked backwards as there was a sudden rush of people, running as a mob down the hall. The screaming became clear, echoing along the tall ceilings with cries of, ‘the villains are escaping!’ or ‘everybody run!’. Grabbing a familiar arm as they passed by, Ash yanked Blondie from the mess, causing her to stumble into their alcove with a gasp. 

“Blondie, what in Ever After is going on?” 

“The magical barriers are gone and we’re being attacked!” 

“Attacked?” Bella and Ash glanced at one another, a look of alarm on a bespectacled face. “Attacked by who?” 

Before Blondie could answer, the sounds of clinking metal and banging footsteps reached their ears. Sinking further back into the shadows, red smoke billowed across the floor as dozens of armored silhouettes charged through the hall. Except…these things were hardly human. They were flat like cards, with metal feet and iron-clad shoulders. Their clawed hands wielded spears or crossbows, while their helmets contained no true faces besides a single pair of glowing white eyes. 

“The Red Queen's guard.” Blondie whimpered in fear as she clung to Ashlynn’s arm, the three of them remaining completely silent and hidden until the danger had passed. 

“Ash, I’ll never doubt your intuition again,” Bella barked, grabbing them both by the wrists. “Come on.” 

“But where are we going?” 

“We’re getting out of here. Now. Unless you want to get beheaded?” 

Blondie and Ashlynn both shook their heads fearfully as Bella led the charge down the hall towards the nearest exit. 

“What about the white knights? Won’t they catch us?” 

“If we’re truly unger siege, the guard will be busy defending the school. We can make it.” 

Blondie squealed in fright, stumbling on her feet and glancing up at Ash with huge, teary eyes. “Ash, what about our destinies?” 

Ashlynn hesitated, her heart beating a million miles an hour. If you had a chance to leave… she had the chance now, even if it was risky. Even if it was terrifying and exhilarating and dangerous. She wasn’t alone, but even if she was, she’d still go. Because this was her one shot to save herself the pain of waiting for an unsure destiny. She refused to be made of glass anymore. She was courageous. 

“Destiny will handle itself,” she answered, pulling goldilocks up by the arm and tugging her to keep up. “We need to find a way out of here.” 

Chapter Text

(Eight Years Ago)

It was going to storm soon. The air was thick; acrid with the scents and sensations of the bramble woods. The sentient thorns had moved again, curling ever closer to their cottage, threatening to tear their thatched roof to pieces. Briar was in the middle of pruning when the distant rumble of a storm caught her ear. Autumn brought rain, after all, and moisture had a tendency to destroy what little they managed to build during the summer. She wouldn’t miss the hot days, not at all. The woods hadn’t had decent rain in months, their pathetic garden buckling and crumbling from drought. She wouldn’t miss the daily journey to the nearby river either, the woods having gifted her with new wounds just yesterday. Fall promised rainfall, and that in itself was a gift.

Standing with her bare feet dug into the earth, the grains scorched brown from twelve hours of unbridled sun, Briar stared at the mountains looming near the furthest edge of the woods. The obsidian ridge wasn’t always visible under a cover of greenish smog, but when it was, she liked to stare at it and imagine. What could it possibly be like beyond those mountains? Anywhere was better than here, she supposed. Above the sharp blades–each point jagged like teeth against a backdrop of gray sky–storm clouds had formed. The promise of a noisy, humid night. Her brothers didn’t like thunder; they’d no doubt be piled on top of her until the rain passed. But tomorrow she could pull in buckets of fresh water for baths and drinking.

“Briar?”

Shaking out of her thoughts, Briar turned, frowning at her mother as she slowly hobbled from the cottage. “Mom? What are you doing, you shouldn’t be out of bed.”

“You’ve been standing here a good while.” The woman, frail and weakening with each passing day, smiled. “Can I not come speak with my own daughter?”

“Of course you can, but it’s going to rain any minute. You should stay inside.”

“Ah. You were watching the mountains again.” Her mother grunted as she sat on a large, pruned bramble branch Briar had snapped to the ground not too long ago. “What about them fascinates you so, my little rose?”

“I…I don’t know.” Briar crossed her arms, rubbing moisture from her skin. Even with the storm, it was still blisteringly hot, and the woods had not taken kindly to her and her ax. “Just imagining.”

“Imagining what?”

“What it’s like, I suppose.”

“ What it’s  like over the mountains?” Briar tilted her head silently. “I see. And…what do you think it’s like over there? Tell me.”

“Um.” Briar frowned at her mother. She hadn’t been this chatty in weeks; the sudden burst of energy was concerning. Was something wrong? “Green. I like to imagine it’s green.”

“Green? That's not much of a description.”

“This is silly…”

“Oh for Ever After’s sake, humor a sick woman, Briar. So rarely do you ever allow your mind to wander. I’ve raised a very serious daughter.” Sleeping Beauty pouted, readjusting her cotton shawl and patting the bare branch beside her. “Come sit for a moment.”

Briar hesitated, looking over the brambles she’d yet to pull away from the house. Sighing defeatedly, she let her ax thunk into a nearby stump, rubbing the back of her neck as she sat with her mother, wincing as she did. Every muscle was beginning to ache. Mother didn’t seem to notice, wrapping a bony arm around her waist and pulling her closer. “Lean against me, dear. Let me hold you.” Too exhausted to really argue, Briar settled in the familiar curve of her mother’s hip, feeling the woman’s fingers gently brush through her hair. She was getting taller every day and she had to wrap her chest to fit in her clothes. Briar didn’t think she’d get older so soon, yet she was outgrowing her own mother’s arms. The thought made her heart ache. “Tell me about the mountains,” the woman whispered, resting her chin on the crest of Briar’s head. “Please?”

“It’s green,” she repeated, licking her badly cracked lips and nuzzling closer to the woman who raised her. “It’s lush and scented like flowers. The sky is vast, blue or pink maybe, with clouds like cotton. The trees have no thorns upon their branches, and they probably bear fruit, like apples or peaches.”

“Peaches?” Mother chuckled, her frail chest rattling with the sound. “That sounds lovely.”

“I wish it were real.”

“How do you know that it’s not?”

“It can’t possibly; no place exists so far away from these woods.” Briar frowned, curling her dirtied toes.

“There are many places that exist, little rose,  but we must be wary of what we imagine and what is actually true.” Mother’s nails traced the curve of her ear, feeling the scar notched ridge. “The grass is not always greener.”

“I know that,” Briar sighed, a certain heaviness weighing down her shoulders. “I just wish…but…I suppose wishing doesn’t do much good?”

“Sometimes a wish is all you need to reignite a soul.” mother said, beginning to rock faintly back and forth as though she were caught in a breeze. “The world is cruel, but it’s not without its magic. I know a place that is very similar to the one you described just now.”

Briar turned to her mother in surprise, blinking in awe. “Really?”

“Oh yes. It is vast and fantastic, bright like the pages of a storybook. The sky is the deepest, most brilliant shade of blue, and the grass is the color of emeralds. But…” the woman lifted a gnarled fingertip, her red eyes shining in warning. “It too has its own dangers.”

“Dangers like what?”

“Creatures that we can’t even imagine. Things with wings and teeth and claws; things that speak in tongues; things that come and go with the mist, things that are so…wonderful…they are hard to even comprehend. And yet somehow, it is not any of these things you need to fear most. It is the ones who wear the guise of grace that you must fear. The ones who lie without lying.”

“Lie without lying? I don’t understand.”

“You may one day find yourself out of these woods, Briar, where dangers are obvious and easy to spot. But in the world, you must learn to differentiate between what lies and what does not. Sometimes, those who seem the kindest are the most capable of terrible things. In the wonderful place I described, it is the most vicious creature of them all–one that snaps and hisses with jowls of silver and eyes like moons–that is the fairest and most exalted.”

Briar screwed up her face. “How can a creature like that possibly be the fairest?”

Mother smiled, something bright flashing across her withered face. “Nay, we mustn’t judge on appearances alone, my sweet, just as we should not judge on kindness and generosity. It is like the distant mountains.” She looked out towards the ridge, now hidden under a shroud of storm and rain. “Certainly frightful and dangerous to behold, yet beyond is the possibility of wonderland. How could you ever know for sure what is true if you never have the courage to see for yourself?”

Briar, unsure of what her mom truly meant, nodded slowly. She looked up as a raindrop splashed across her nose, breaking through the dirt and grime caked across her cheeks. As the sky opened up, showering mother and daughter with a peel of thunder, the elder laughed. For a brief moment, her wrinkles vanished, and her red eyes shone as bright as lightning. It was easy to see why this woman had once captivated the minds and hearts of many suitors. She was beautiful; Briar just wished she would get better. Rising to her feet, she gently tugged her mother back inside by the hand, stoking a small fire to warm the cottage and wrapping her up in a blanket. Ready to head back out, intent on finishing her pruning, Briar was stopped by her mother's voice. “Briar.”

She paused in the open doorway, glancing over her shoulder. “Yeah, mom?”

The woman smiled, her youth all but gone, blown away in the storm like smoke. In its place was a fragile creature, withering like a rose in frost. And yet each word she spoke was tender, warm, and touched a piece of Briar that she’d forgotten was there. “I couldn’t have asked for a more courageous daughter.”

Briar woke up crying. She could feel the heaviness of enchanted death weighing heavy on her back, trying to pull her mind right back down again. She could see nothing but darkness; she was still blind and could possibly stay that way for the rest of her life. Yet a deluge of salty tears stung across her eyelids and rolled down her cheeks, while every round of breaths came in harsh, awkward hiccups.

Mother.

She hadn’t had a dream so profound in years; certainly not while in Ever After. Unlike many of the nightmares she had while under her curse, this one was not unpleasant, but full of sorrow. The dream–the memory–lingered, sticking to the back of her mind and pulling the dust from her heartstrings.

Mother was dead. Father was dead. Her brothers were gone. She was alone.

Sniffling horribly, sputtering and coughing through the grief and pain which descended upon her suddenly, a noise sliced through it like a blade. Someone was humming nearby. The melody was lilting and soft, not one Briar could recognize with a foggy brain. Someone moved close to her, their shoes gently tapping against the floor. Remaining perfectly still in her sorrow, unable to quell the bout of weeping which snuck up on her in the midst of sleep, the ground dipped as a weight was settled upon it, a hand with long nails gently caressing the hair at her temple.

“...why do you weep, daughter of roses?” Lizzie’s question was faint, nothing but a whisper that was more to herself than to Briar. She was in the company of the future Red Queen. But…how? Why? Enchanted death made it impossible to know unless she asked, yet the words had left her lungs to make room for the tears. “Don’t cry, I’m here with you.” Lizzie sighed, her nails raking softly across Briar’s skull. It made Briar wonder if this simple action is what triggered the memory. If such a small thing as combing her hair was enough to break down the walls she spent years building. “Rest your tired soul, my love. You’re safe here to sleep.”

‘Safe’ and ‘sleep’ weren’t things Briar often put together. She was usually vulnerable while unconscious, collapsed someplace strange where a passerby could do whatever they wished with her corpse. Yet Lizzie’s presence was looming, vast and obvious like the color she favored. The sweet floral scent of her perfume was soothing, while the gentle touch of her hand was careful but sure. She continued to hum her lullaby until eventually, Briar returned to sleep. Yet this time, it was true, not cursed. She did not dream; she did not wake with a nightmare. It was just…sleep. Something she hadn’t experienced since the night her mother died.

For a while there was nothing but the abyss of exhaustion. Her body felt brittle, her mind even more so. She was just so tired. Hushed voices slowly began to pull her consciousness back to the surface.

“...is she dead?” Kitty’s familiar purr was silenced at once by a royal huff.

“Silence, Cheshire. I’m not in the mood for your jesting.”

“But what of your champion, your majesty?”

“Her heart aches, just as mine does.” There was a sharp snip as Lizzie sliced something with a pair of shears. “It’s appalling how cruel destiny has chosen to be towards her. Such a gentle thing, all but strangled in her own thorns.”

“Is she strong enough to make the journey? Her cheeks are ashen; she seems unwell.”  

“I have little doubt of her strength, my pet. But even the strongest must rest their eyes sometime. It might as well be now.”

“I suppose,” Kitty drawled, her claws tapping a nervous beat across a table. “Are you well enough to make the journey home, your grace? This can surely wait if your heart is truly as agonized as you say.”

“No. No, my people are without a Queen, and I am now my own council in the matter. I must return to Wonderland before that ivory fiend tries to usurp my rule.”

“Of course, your majesty. What news is there?”

“Chase has done what was expected; the pawns have abandoned the game for a frontal push across the board. The time is now.”

“All at once?” Kitty sounded surprised, her smoke whispering about her as she flickered in and out of existence. “Is it not bold to charge the Ever Queen from the front?”

“It is the last thing she will expect. Hopefully those trapped in these halls will have enough mind to save themselves. It has been two decades since the guards have had their fun; I fear I may not have the ability to stop them from painting these halls red.”

“A tragic day for Ever After, my Queen,” Kitty agreed. “I have already sent my own prisoner ahead. She awaits your judgment in the red dungeons.”

“Fine. She will not be alone for long; there will be others. I wish not this chaos upon the innocent, Cheshire, but I fear the time to divert has long passed.”

“It is a necessary evil, your highness. Any good ruler would do the same for the sake of their people.”

“I only wish my heart were more ready. It’s unnatural to bleed like this, Kitty.”

“Your mother lies with the Jabberwocky now, your highness. Hopefully he judges her soul fairly.”

“We can only hope so, my pet. I merely wish Briar will not think less of me for these heinous deeds.” Hearing Lizzie’s shoes cross the floor, Briar steadied her breathing so as to not get caught eavesdropping. “My heart bleeds for her too. How unfair it must be; how painful to be stuck amongst the vine with nary a rose in sight.” Briar felt Lizzie’s hand gently touch her face, the flat of her thumb tracing a scar at her cheekbone. “But I suppose the most beautiful creatures known to Wonderland come from the Westing Wood. The same can be said for those born within a legacy of brambles and thorns.”

“You must ask your favor, your highness, or the compendium may change,” Kitty urged, sounding more urgent than usual. Briar felt the swipe of a smoky tail cross her face, soft yet zipping with faint electricity. “I did not use the last of my Wonderland magic to bring her here for nothing.”

“You did it because I ordered you too, Cheshire. Don’t forget who you now stand in the presence of,” Lizzie hissed, her tone causing goosebumps to rise across Briar’s arms. She could practically hear Kitty gulp across the room.

“M-my apologies, your majesty.”

“Be gone now. I wish to do this alone.”

“Yes, my queen.” There was a breath of vanilla scented wind as Kitty made herself scarce, vanishing into nothingness. It was Kitty who brought her here? Briar didn’t recall ever falling asleep–she never did–but she had been personally delivered to Lizzie on her order. But one thing was very clear now; her life deck had indeed told her the future. The Red Queen was dead…Lizzie’s mom was dead. Meaning the girl now sitting beside her, humming and brushing her hair, was the new Queen of the Red Court.

“I know you’ve been listening, my champion,” the girl said, causing Briar’s eyes to open despite seeing nothing but darkness. “My mother is gone, and the Court of Cards is without their ruler. The time has come for me to return home.” Lizzie exhaled sharply, her hand trembling as she took Briar’s fingers, caressing the scarred knuckles. “But I will not go empty handed. The Ever Queen is a traitor, playing favorites to the White Court when she’s already promised to be unbiased. The treaty between Wonderland and Ever After is broken, and I cannot leave here with nothing. My people are in grave danger, threatened by the ivory regime. Destiny is not meant to be used as a guise for power, it is meant to be unique and ever changing, if not sometimes unfair. I will not allow my people to be bound to something falsified. And so, my dear champion, I now must request my favor of you, one that is beyond what any favor should ever be.” Lizzie clasped Briar’s hands, shaking all the while. “I must ask that you return to Wonderland with me. There, you will fulfill a very important prophecy, one that keeps the fate of both our worlds hanging in the balance. But…I fear there is no promise you will ever come back.”

Briar blinked slowly, inhaling and exhaling in thought. Her mother's words came echoing back to her ears. How could you ever know for sure what is true if you never have the courage to see for yourself? Ever since being plucked from the bramble woods, Briar knew she didn’t want her mother’s destiny. She had been fighting it at every turn with no promise that anything would change. Yet…she now stood at the base of a looming range of dark mountains, jagged like teeth and set against a backdrop of gray sky. Wonderland lay beyond it, and she couldn’t tell how wonderful it was unless she decided to climb. Her mother was gone. Her father was gone. She could only hope her brothers were safe and that her friends wouldn’t grieve too long.

Anywhere was better than here.

“Ok.” Briar’s voice was but a rasp, stolen away by the heaviness of sleep. Lizzie’s hands stopped shaking, her delicate, soft fingertips curled between Briar’s rough calloused ones. “I’ll come with you.”

“You may never come back, my champion. Your life here could become but a whisper of smoke. Wonderland is not kind.”

“I don’t think any place really is,” Briar mumbled, grimacing. “Even Apple has her scars.”

“You are truly as courageous as you seem, Briar Rose,” Lizzie whispered. “For your trouble, you will live well and be treated with the utmost respect while in my court.”

“Can I ask a question?” Briar wondered, letting her head loll awkwardly to one side. She didn’t know where Lizzie was in her eye-line, so it was impossible to tell if she was even facing the right way. “If you don’t mind?”

“Of course.”

“How many people will die today?” It was an unpleasant question, one that made Lizzie go quiet for a moment. Briar knew now that she and Kitty had been discussing an attack on Ever After. Perhaps just a single battalion, perhaps an entire army, she still wasn’t sure. But the way the Red Queen spoke of it…it made something in Briar splinter.

“I do not know,” Lizzie admitted finally. “I wish none had to die, but alas, the Ever Queen has sealed the fate of her own people with her treachery. Now, I can only think of my own.”

“A necessary evil?”

“A necessary evil,” Lizzie agreed. “I have sent orders not to harm the one with a heart of glass should the guard come across her, but prisoners must be taken.”

“Prisoners?”

“I must protect my kingdom, and the best way to do that is to take something invaluable back with me.”

Briar’s mind turned before she slowly understood Lizzie’s meaning. “You’re sending them after Apple.”

“Yes. Anyone who guards her will not survive; the one they call Shining Star already awaits judgment in my dungeon.” Darling. “I wish no harm to those you love, Briar, but I must act as Queen first.”

“I understand.” Briar did understand. She had little doubt that Queen Snow White wouldn’t leave any survivors if she chose to attack the Red Court, so why should Lizzie? She could only hope Ashlynn found her courage and found a way to flee. Briar thought about Faybelle, still out in the world somewhere, not a clue as to what was about to happen. She thought about Rosabella and Blondie, Cedar, Farrah. She thought about Raven, locked in her tower with no means of escaping should the guards choose violence against their Queen’s order. Her heart ached for them all, yet her choice remained the same. “I’ll come to Wonderland with you, your majesty. I’ll do whatever I can to help stop this madness.”

“Us Wonderlandians live in a constant state of madness,” Lizzie chuckled. “Worry not, when you wake again, you will be safe. This, I promise you.”

When she woke again? Not understanding, Briar opened her mouth to ask, only to be silenced by a pair of lips on hers. Lizzie tasted sweet, but there was a bitter edge to it as well. Her hand landed on the flat of Briar’s chest, her claws suddenly digging into her skin like sharp blades. Gasping in surprise at the sudden pain, Lizzie bit down on her lower lip, sending that bitter taste down her throat alongside the coppery taste of blood. At once, a certain wooziness returned to her mind, and everything suddenly clicked into place. The scents and the comforting gestures, the humming, and now a bite that was sudden and bitter. Lizzie hadn’t brought her here simply because she’d fallen asleep someplace strange.

The Queen of Hearts had kidnapped her.

Everything Lizzie had done up until now was not to keep her safe (well, maybe it kinda was, that was unclear), but to keep her drowsy and subdued. To keep her from escaping. With a sudden jolt of adrenaline, Briar pulled at her hands, the same Lizzie still held. Her wrists had been tightly bound together, as had her ankles. She couldn’t go anywhere, even if she wanted to.

“You…lied to me,” Briar spat, though her words were muddled as she floundered for a complete sentence.

“Shh, my love, it’s alright. Just relax, it’ll be over in a moment.” Briar wanted to fight; she had enough energy to thrash once, only to feel a hand push her right back down and hold her there. “Lie still, my champion. Sleep. You’ll feel better when you wake; let the poison do what it will.”

Poison? Briar swiped at her inner lip, grimacing at the awful taste. Lizzie had poisoned her with a kiss? Lizzie had poisoned her? Lizzie kissed her? Flopping back with a gasp, Briar’s mind was going foggy. Her body was heavy, like every limb was packed with sand. As she was pulled down into darkness again, a thought crossed her mind. An alarming thought that made her head swim. Lizzie had asked her to be a champion and she said yes, because she thought it was a choice. But, seeing as she’d been actually taken hostage by the Red Queen without her even knowing, that made her wonder:

How much choice did she actually have?

End Part One

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirty: The Red Queen’s Champion

“Love is like war; bloody, bitter, and full of sacrifices.”

The land of Ever After was cold compared to Wonderland. 

Its colors were bland, lacking any vibrance or splendor. There was no scent of drying rose-paint in the air, or the sweet aroma of dandelion fluff and honeysuckle during the summer. There was no echo of the guards on parade, or the faint clinking of porcelain during tea time. Ever After was stiff and freezing like steel, its life force torn away and leeched of its color by Snow White. Even the Ever Queen—so tall and fair—lacked any color herself besides her lips (lips the color of roses and bloodshed).

If Lizzie failed, Queen Ivory would do much the same to Wonderland as the Ever Queen did to Ever After. And she simply couldn’t allow that to happen. 

Like the white queen’s beloved chessboard—with its pieces chiseled out of bone and obsidian—should she fail in her mother’s stead, her people would be shackled and their world would be forcefully whipped of its wonder. It would all look like the Court of Chess: pale, frigid, and painted in shades of black and white. Lizzie would take a blade to her throat long before she’d ever take a knee to someone as sniveling and pathetic as the White Queen (someone actively hiding behind an outsiders protection). 

Striding down a seemingly endless red hallway, Lizzie found some comfort being home again. She always had a distaste for travel; Kitty liked to tease her about being a homebody. But as much as she loved being back in her own domain, it brought painful memories too. Mainly of her mother, and the somewhat unconditional love that she gave. Most of her grief was just a tangled ball of feelings now, one which Lizzie bottled up and pushed to the back of her mind. 

For later, she thought, her hands bunching tighter in her bustle. She’d sort those feelings later. 

As much as she wanted to fall and weep at her mother’s empty bed–as much as she yearned for the late Queen’s guidance–she hadn’t the time for any more mourning. Wonderland was waging war (it was about time, too), and after an entire lifetime training and planning for this day, the crown now sat upon her head.

And what a dreadful, heavy thing it was. 

Still, Lizzie held the ornament with pride, careful not to dip her head too much lest it fall off and shatter. It felt much like her heart; tedious…a burden she’d rather not be carrying. Turning a corner, a shimmer of red armor caught her wayward attention. As she’d ordered, her step-brother had been sent to meet her. Chase immediately fell to one knee, though Lizzie didn’t miss his pained grunt as he did. A battle was a battle, after all. It didn’t matter who the opponent happened to be. “Your highness.” He greeted, taking her hand to kiss the knuckles. “You summoned me?” 

“Chase, please rise, we haven’t the time for formalities.” Lizzie helped the boy back to his feet, giving him a faint shake. “Tell me, what of Ever After? What has become of it?” 

“Hardly a dent, your majesty,” Chase complained, lifting his head to show off a decent sized black eye and a busted lip. “The Ever Queen is strong, far stronger than the Court of Chess could ever hope to be.” 

“But did you take what we needed?” 

“Yes, though she put up more of a fight than I was expecting.” Waving to his mottled face, Chase winced. “I know you ordered for her not to be harmed, but some force was needed.” 

“But the heir of the Ever Queen is alive and well?” Lizzie arched her brow, curious that someone like Apple While had managed to land not one but two hits on her very well trained step-brother. She’d need to adjust his training regimen to make sure it didn’t happen again. “Nothing broken?” 

“No, your highness. Just dazed and bruised. I don’t envy the watchman who have to listen to her bellyaching, though. She thinks her words still hold meaning this far from Ever After.” 

Lizzie’s lip twitched, though she suppressed the humored smile. “Quite. Did you capture any others?” 

“A few more, your highness. Also unharmed, also under the watchman’s care. But…” 

“But?” Lizzie bristled. The Red Court did not deal in uncertainties; ‘but’ was never a suitable answer in the eyes of the crown. “What sits on your tongue, brother? Spit it out.” 

“One of the prisoners..she found us.” 

“Found you?” Lizzie shook her head. “I don’t understand.” 

“She called to my men from within a high tower and ordered to be captured. She wishes to speak with you.” 

“How quaint. Who was it?” 

“I cannot say for sure, but her title is…Raven, I  believe?” 

Lizzie blinked in surprise. “Oh. The daughter of the Dark One requested an audience? Seems awfully bold for a girl now a political prisoner.”

“I guess. I said I’d ask.”

“How unusual. Well, we’ll deal with all the prisoners at a later date. Now is the time for recuperation. Just make sure none of them perish before we can hold a proper hearing; healthy prisoners always make a better show for the executioner.” 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“Good. Now, I must excuse you back to your other duties. I have to check on my champion.” 

Moving to continue down the hall, Chase sputtered awkwardly, causing her to stop: “If I may speak openly, your majesty? Just a moment of your time.” 

“You may. Walk with me, brother.”

Briar was being held upstairs, at the very heart of the castle. There was much to do before she could be presented as the Queen’s champion, and Lizzie wanted to oversee the preparations herself. However, a blind warrior was a dead warrior. She could only hope that the potion currently brewing in her alchemist’s den would return her champion’s sight. How Lizzie yearned to see those brilliant carnelian eyes again. 

“The girl you’ve brought from Ever After,” Chase asked, stumbling to keep up with her in his armor. “The one you cherish? Who is she?” 

“Briar Rose Beauty, daughter of Damascena Rose Beauty and my chosen champion.” 

“Damascena Rose…that’s the woman who slept for one-hundred years? The one who Mother spoke of?” 

“Correct.” 

“Is her daughter particularly formidable?” 

“You could say so.” Lizzie chuckled, nodding her head to a few servants they passed. “She is quite ferocious when she’s awake and has an equally sharp tongue. Most creatures will take on aspects of their environment over time; my champion grew up in the bramble woods, therefore she bears thorns rather than blossoms. You’ll enjoy her company, I think.” 

“Ferocity and strength do make for a worthy champion, your grace. But is it truly her? The prophecy is…unclear, and the compendium is ever changing.” 

“Are you questioning my judgment, brother?” Lizzie wondered, stopping to face the boy as he blanched and quickly shook his head. 

“N-no, no, of course not. Please forgive me, your highness, I didn’t mean to offend…” 

“Chase.” Lizzie, not having time for babble, placed a hand on her brothers pauldron. “I know you hoped it would be you who would fight for Wonderland. You needn't hide that from me.” 

Chase sighed and slumped, his armor clanking as he did. “How is it you always look straight through me, Elizabeth?” 

“Because I’m your sister, which means I know everything.” Lizzie scrunched her nose in a smile, gently lifting her step-sibling’s chin. She still remembered when they first met and how much she despised him. After all, they were siblings in nothing but title, seeing as no blood was shared between them. The bastard son of his father and another woman, a woman who wanted little to do with Wonderland. But nowadays he was a young man, one of great value and strength. Lizzie had little doubt he would’ve made an excellent champion had the life deck played out in such a way. “I value your honor and I know you would throw yourself into battle in a heartbeat. But it’s simply not in the cards; you are not my champion. But you will still take your father’s place as Red Knave, a position most revered and respected. I need you to lead my army; I cannot save our people without you. Do you understand?” 

“Yes.” Chase stepped back and gave his most eloquent bow, falling to his knee again as he removed his sword from its sheath, placing it on the ground at his feet. “I lay down my sword for you, your majesty. For Wonderland.” 

“For Wonderland,” Lizzie agreed, placing a hand in her brother's spiky hair and ruffling it. “Now I really must go. Will you be well until court is summoned?” 

“Of course, your grace. Good evening to you.” 

“And to you. Goodnight, Chase.” Giving a little obligatory curtsy, Lizzie pivoted and left her sibling in the hall, her eyes now forward and with a new mission in mind. It took longer than she would’ve liked to reach the suite where Briar was being tended, but it was imperative that her room was at the very center of the castle. The halls tended to have a mind of their own sometimes, and the harder it was to find an exit, the harder it would be for Briar to escape. 

Lizzie didn’t think the daughter of roses would go back on her word; Briar Rose was nothing if not absolute (both in her wisdom and in her recklessness). But, then again, she was also slippery and had the queer ability to vanish. The Queen knew if Briar truly wanted to leave, she would find a way. The least Lizzie could do was make any attempts more difficult. 

Nodding to the pair of spades guarding the door, Lizzie entered without announcement. The housemaids and servants tending to the room immediately stopped their various tasks, faces painted in various shades of white and red. Taking a cursory glance, Briar was nowhere to be seen. 

“Where is my champion?” 

“In the bath, your highness,” one of the handmaids said, giving a curt bow. “We were waiting for your arrival to begin preparations.” 

“Good. Has my antidote been delivered?” 

A bottle was instantly presented, perfectly clear like glass inside a reddish tube. “The alchemist said this should do, majesty. The entire bottle directly into her eyes will clear away the blindness. It won’t be pleasant for your special one I’m afraid, but it will cure her.” 

“It must be done.” Taking the bottle and turning it in her hand, Lizzie sighed. She didn’t want to cause Briar more pain; she’d already been less than forthcoming about her intentions thus far. The guilt of her actions was irritating. But now wasn’t the time to yearn for forgiveness; that would come at a later date. Moving into the washroom, the air was steamy and smelled faintly like cinnamon. A handmaid was at the vanity crushing ingredients for hair dye, while another was prepping the quills of a porcupine for tattooing. 

Lizzie was only seven when she got her heart tattoo—a necessary symbol of her royalty. It was awful. Doing it while Briar was still recovering from the snark poison would be a blessing. 

Speaking of, her champion was currently dozing in and out of consciousness. Her head was resting over the back of the tub, chest rising and falling steadily under a shimmer of red tinted bath water. She looked frightful, bottom lip faintly swollen. Guilt swelled again in Lizzie’s gut; she didn’t have to poison Briar, she’d agreed to come willingly. But what if she’d said no? 

“Fret not, your majesty,” one of the servants said, catching her ear and attention. “She’s been awake a few times already; the bath has helped.” 

“I can only hope she’ll forgive my transgressions when this is said and done,” the Queen mumbled, holding up the bottle of antidote with a wince. “This will be unpleasant.” 

The handmaids took hold of Briar’s arms, holding her in place as Lizzie uncorked the bottle. It smelled bitter, like sulfur and brimstone. “Worry not, my love,” she mumbled, caressing Briar’s dusky cheek. “You will be well tended here. Rest and regain your strength. Soon, we will do what should’ve been done years ago. The Red Court will once again reign in Wonderland. I’m sure of it.” 

Using a hand to gently push Briar’s eyes open, Lizzie used what remained of her nerve to administer the elixir. 

Unpleasant indeed. 

No doubt the whole castle heard Briar’s screams. She thrashed and kicked in pain, battering the sides of the tub with her body and splashing water across the floor. Thankfully the process was fast; over before any real damage could be done. Feeling her own heart racing against the back of her ribs, Lizzie dropped the potion bottle to the floor, grabbing her champion's face in both hands. “I’m sorry, my love,” she croaked. “I’m so sorry. It’s alright. You’re alright.” 

Briar just wheezed through her teeth, blinking rapidly as the potion did what it was meant to do. Slowly but surely, white eyes began to fade back into their natural coloration, returning her sight. They were still dazed, of course—red and weeping from pain—but the blindness had been chased off. Beautiful carnelian eyes dazedly stared back at her, empty and exhausted. It was done. No more. Her heart couldn’t take it. 

“Um…your majesty?” 

“What is it?” Lizzie felt overwrought, her hands shaking as she sat back down on the floor beside the tub. She felt awful. How could Briar ever forgive her? 

“What shape would you like your champion’s marking to be?” 

Lizzie struggled to hold in tears that threatened to fall. She couldn’t lose her composure now. “A diamond, please.” 

“Perfect for a warrior,” the handmaid agreed. “She’ll look quite well with it.” 

“Yes. Just please, be hasty? She’s been through enough pain already.” 

“Of course. I’ll work with the utmost swiftness.” 

Nodding, Lizzie refused a stool, remaining on the floor as the handmaids worked. Tomorrow, Briar would wake up and be able to see the world again…she’d wake up and see what Lizzie had done to her. The lies she told. The prisoners she’d taken. 

“Please forgive me, Briar,” she whispered, setting her own tired eyes against her arms, resisting the urge to weep. “I’m so sorry.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirty-One: Through the Looking Glass 

“Keep your heart hidden, for affection is a warriors greatest weakness.” 

Briar didn’t lend any importance to mirrors. 

She didn’t even have one while living in the bramble woods; never needed it. After all, appearances were the least of her concern with eight young boys to feed and a forest of thorns to battle on the daily. She caught scarce glimpses of her reflection once in a while after she cleaned windows, or if the river was particularly calm. But the image was always rippling or distorted in some way. It was hard to get a clear picture of herself back then, and that suited her just fine. 

Briar only saw herself clearly after arriving in Ever After (a place full of mirrors); and what a horrible picture it was. 

Her skin was badly burnt; cheeks darkened and freckled from long days in the sun without reprieve. Her hair was a tangle of brittle brunette locks, long and ratty from years without a suitable pair of sharp scissors. Her body was malnourished, skeletal, scarred and disfigured from top to bottom. No part of her was left untouched and every wound had a story, all of which Briar could remember with ease. But it was her eyes that stood out the most. She had her mothers eyes, the vicious carnelian rings filled with exhaustion and weariness, framed in a dark, bruised purple that rivaled the night sky. She never told Ashlynn (or anyone else), but Briar avoided looking at herself in the mirror after that first day, spooked by the unusual, twisted wraith of a girl that stared back. 

It was impossible now to ignore how much she’d changed in just a few months. 

So distracted by her own reflection, Briar felt a hand gently grab her shoulder. One of Lizzie’s handmaids gave her a light shake, bringing her thoughts back from the unusual mental space she’d been inhabiting for the last few hours. The poison Lizzie used to get her to Wonderland was wearing off, but her senses were slow to return. Briar found it easy to let her thoughts wander. The mirrorshe’d been sitting in front of since waking up was as distracting as it was troubling. “Miss Rose?” The handmaid shook her again. “Are you ok?” 

Struggling to blink the foggy haze off her mind, Briar couldn’t help but squint as she lifted her head, a few stray tears rolling down her cheeks. It was so odd having her sight back. She’d gotten used to the darkness. 

“Oh. Allow me, m’lady. Hold still.” Feeling a hand gently tilt her chin, Briar fluttered her lashes as the edge of a cool washcloth dabbed around her sore eyelids, catching flecks of lingering nightshade. “There now. Better?” 

Squeezing her eyes shut and opening them again, Briar could see the wooden vanity table covered in brushes, combs and hairpins, the plush red carpet with its patterns of black and gold, and her own two legs kicked out awkwardly in front of her. The heavy iron shackle locked around her right ankle dragged as she shifted into a better position, the heart-shaped loops clinking as they touched. Right. Kidnapped. She’d been kidnapped. “Your mind is a million-miles away,” the handmaid pointed out, moving someplace behind her as she worked with a hairbrush. “You must tell me if you feel unwell.” 

“I just…feel…strange.” Briar wasn’t lying; she didn’t know how to describe the somewhat precarious situation she was in. It was obvious a lot had happened between her falling asleep and waking up again, but she couldn’t remember much of it. Not what was said or done to her; she could’ve agreed to go slay a dragon and wouldn’t be the wiser. Even now there was some part of her that wasn’t clicking into place, no doubt the part that would’ve lit an anxious fire and told her to flee the first chance she got. 

It was clear Lizzie didn’t trust her not to do that, hence the shackle and chain. 

“You’ll feel more at ease once the snark poison is fully worn off,” her company insisted, tucking a few hairs behind Briar’s ears as she pinned, braided and tied the locks into an intricate pattern. “Her majesty will be very pleased with your transformation. You will make a fine champion. A beautiful one, too. The court will be most impressed.” 

Briar frowned at being called ‘beautiful’; she didn’t ever see herself as anything but a consequence of her environment. Yet as she hesitantly caught her own reflection in the mirror again, the wraith she feared in Ever After was missing. Gone was the gaunt, dark, skinny girl plucked from the bramble bushes. She had put on weight and her coloring had lightened, changing from roughly chapped to warm and rich. During her unconsciousness, a strange white diamond had been added to her face, crossing horizontally down her right eye. She’d tried to rub it off when she first saw it, only to get slapped away and ordered not to touch. 

The mark was as permanent as her scars, apparently. Lizzie had chosen it herself. 

Currently, Briar’s somewhat bossy company was diligently doing her hair, half of it no longer brunette, but dyed black like obsidian and streaked in red, white, and gold. It resembled Lizzie’s signature patterns, as most of the handmaids did. They all looked like their queen, faces hidden behind masks of white paint with shapes that resembled playing cards on their cheeks. Wonderland certainly stuck to its aesthetic, Briar decided. It was no wonder Darling got herself captured. 

“One last thing. Her majesty said you liked roses. I picked this one just for you; it’s not even fully painted yet.” Watching in the mirror, Briar stared at the fresh white rose as it was woven into place behind her ear, the pale petals splattered with red paint (Briar could only hope it was red paint). “There. You look beautiful, m’lady.” 

Nodding silently, not sure whether to appreciate the work or feel disconcerted by it, Briar hugged herself awkwardly as the door to the room opened. “Oh! My queen, welcome back!” 

Briar instantly shut her eyes, refusing to move in hopes that it would somehow make her invisible. She didn’t know what to feel regarding the new Queen of Hearts. Was she supposed to be honored? Thankful, perhaps? After all, it was Lizzie who restored her sight and saved her life when she was cut by the assassin. It was Lizzie who claimed she was fighting against Snow White’s ideas of destiny for the sake of Wonderland. Yet…it was also Lizzie who kidnapped her, leaving her here to be dressed up like a toy with a shackle around her leg. It was Lizzie who’d lied to her face, Lizzie who kissed her without explanation, and Lizzie who poisoned her. 

Conflicted was the only emotion Briar could feel; conflict and bitterness towards her own inability to decide. Why wasn’t the answer more obvious? 

“Briar?” A familiar hand caressed the underside of her chin, gently tilting it upwards. “Are you alright, my love?” 

Hesitantly–perhaps a bit unwillingly, too–Briar let her eyes open. Lizzie knelt in front of the vanity stool, her big, billowy dress fluttering around her. Unlike in Ever After, where her hair was left down, she now had it pulled up. No doubt to hold the glittering crown now sitting upon her head. The girl smiled, scrunching up her nose and caressing Briar’s cheek with a thumb. “How beautiful you are, swathed in the colors of the Red Court.” 

Opening her mouth to speak, Briar found no words there. What could be said? What could she possibly manage to spit out that wouldn’t upset either Lizzie, or herself? She closed her mouth again, glancing awkwardly at her leg where the shackle was clamped around her skin. Champion…or prisoner? Lizzie sighed as she gently retracted her hand. “Leave us. I wish to address my champion alone.” 

Those in the room bowed and scattered at the command, vanishing like shadows. “You’re displeased,” Lizzie muttered, staring up at Briar with her giant blue eyes. “Please speak to me.” 

“I don’t have anything to say to you,” Briar spat back, putting as much venom into her words as she could. The Red Queen flinched, her face crumpling with sadness.  

“I didn’t want to deceive you, Briar. Please understand…” 

“You kidnapped me.” 

“I had to.” 

“You made me think I had some sort of choice,” Briar hissed, her chain clattering as she roughly pushed from her place on the bench, leaving Lizzie where she was knelt on the floor. “I trusted you. That was my mistake.” 

“You can still trust me.” 

“How?” Briar arched a brow, nearly tripping over herself as she began to pace from one end of the room to another. “How could I possiblybelieve anything you say? The first day we met, you’d already made the decision for me, didn’t you? You knew.”

Lizzie scowled in offense, rising awkwardly from her place on the floor. “I saved your life.” 

“In exchange for a favor. You saved my life not because you could, but so I could die for what you wanted instead.” Briar violently shook her head as she grabbed the nearby bedpost for balance, her head spinning with dizziness. “Isn’t that right, your majesty?” 

Lizzie grunted but said nothing to defend herself. The truth was far more bitter than any poison, after all. “How could I possibly take your word, when its all just a lie? You’re no better than the Queen you claim to detest.” 

“Do not dare imply that I am the same as the Ever Queen,” Lizzie growled, surprising Briar with her ferocity as she took a few steps closer. “I am fighting to free my people, not imprison them. But I am also fighting for you. For Ever After as much as Wonderland.”

“For me,” Briar scoffed. “I’m the same to you as I am to Snow White. Just another piece of destiny to pull around.” 

“Do not mistake my actions for chasteness.” 

“You’re lying.” 

“Listen to me, daughter of roses.” grunting as a royal hand pushed against her collarbone, Briar was shoved against the bedpost. “Everything I’ve done up until now is for the sake of freeing the Red Court from destiny. Should we succeed in this, the Ever Queen will fall alongside the Court of Chess. You and every other soul bound to Snow White will be free, just as my people will be. Do you understand?” 

“You’re using me, just like everyone else does.” 

“I care,” Lizzie barked, catching her brief display of anger as she curled her fist against Briar’s collar. “Pardon my temper, but you mistake me. My heart is softer than it should be, it always has been. I wish not to deceive you, nor do I desire to bring harm upon those who are in no better situation than we. And for you, my dearest champion, I feel far more than is appropriate.” Lizzie made a face, one that Briar couldn’t really place as she slumped under the weight of her crown. “I can only do what my mother has taught me. Had you refused the favor, our hope would’ve been lost. I need you, Briar.” 

“You need me to do your bidding for you,” Briar translated blandly, tilting her head to avoid Lizzie’s long red nails. “I’m a prisoner.” 

“No. It…it may have begun that way,” Lizzie admitted, running her thumb across Briar’s collar. “I am not proud of how I’ve treated you. But I hold fondness for your courage.. That was never a lie. How can I prove to you that I hold no ill intent?” 

“Release me.” 

“With your reputation and wile? I think not. Try again.” 

Briar scowled but understood. If she were in Lizzie’s position, she wouldn’t trust her either. “You took prisoners from Ever After. You said you would.” 

“Yes. But I cannot free them either. It is a matter of the crown.” 

“Let them live, then.” Briar closed her eyes as claws gently caressed the underside of her jaw. “You have Apple, don’t you?” 

“I do. As well as the white knight for whom you hold fondness and the assassin who tried to take your life. Their fates are already sealed.” 

“Queen Snow White doesn’t care about anyone who doesn’t forward her goal,” Briar muttered. “She wouldn’t bat an eye if you slaughtered the other students you took.” 

“She is a heartless creature,” Lizzie agreed. “What thought sits on your tongue?” 

“Darling and Apple are yours, as is the assassin, but spare the others. Allow them to live and serve in your palace.” 

Lizzie tipped her head. “An odd request.” 

“You’ll get nowhere aiming for Snow White’s heart when you already have her daughter,” Briar insisted. “Aim for her pride. Make those once loyal to her wear red in your name. I can promise you it’ll get her steaming the moment she catches word, and there wouldn’t need to be any more bloodshed.” 

Lizzie stared for a moment, perhaps mulling over the request. She nodded then, tapping her fingers against Briar’s chest. 

“You are as wise as you are stubborn, Briar Rose. I will grant this request to ease your heart, but you must promise me that in return, you will not fight your choice to become my champion. Do I have your word?” 

“I…yes…your majesty.” 

Briar felt Lizzie quiver at her title, a small breath catching in her throat. She sighed, something shaky and relieved as she gently traced patterns up and down Briar’s neck. They were still pushed against the bedpost, pinned and cornered by the Red Queen’s hand. The proximity was undeniable. 

“You are a force of nature, my dear. I hope one day you find it in yourself to forgive me?” 

Briar, not willing to answer, just closed her eyes in response, letting her head rest against mahogany embellishments. She was so tired. Left in darkness for a moment, the gentle brush of lips against her neck made something electric zip up her spine. Fully caught off guard by the sudden contact, Lizzie grabbed hold of her waist to keep her still. Instinctually, Briar tilted her head backwards, allowing a better angle as a kiss was placed against her throat. Lizzie was tender, soft, and sticky with red lipstick, her very presence wafting of cinnamon. 

The sensation of being touched made something odd quiver through Briar’s limbs as the Queen’s thumb caressed the underside of her rib. Of course, she’d been touched before, but not…not quite in this way. 

“You’ve been abused too long, my champion,” the Queen mumbled against her skin, each breath warm and tantalizingly close. “You will be taken care of here.” 

Feeling another peck, Briar unclenched her terse jaw, allowing a very slight noise to whistle against the back of her teeth. She’d seen Apple and Darling kiss before, is this what it felt like? “Open your eyes.” Feeling Lizzie take hold of her face in both hands, Briar allowed her tired lids to part. The Queen stared up at her with her intense blue gaze, something strangely vulnerable caught in their depths. “We will succeed,” she said, gently taking Briar’s chin in her thumb and forefinger. “You will be free. Of this, I promise you.” 

Her words and breath stolen, Briar could only nod weakly in reply. Lizzie pulled her closer, placing a very gentle kiss on her lips. Unlike the first, which came with bitterness and blood, this one was tender and deep. It lasted an eternity, causing Briar to go dizzy from lack of air as she was finally released and the Queen stepped away. “Rest now, my love,” she insisted, gathering her dress. “At dawn we hold court, and will take your rightful place as my champion.” 

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirty-Two: Dawn of the Red Court

“Off with their heads!” 

Darling hadn’t slept in days. 

Well…it could’ve been weeks or even months, but she wouldn’t have known the difference. This part of the Red Queen’s dungeon was dark and silent, thick with the gnarled stench of decay. She couldn’t feel the tips of her fingers, while her wrists burned like fire, rusted iron shackles tight and cutting into her skin. Her body felt like it was wasting, slowly eating away at itself from lack of a proper meal. 

Getting caught spying for Queen Snow White was a death sentence, and Darling had lost all hope of getting out of this alive. 

She wasn’t sure how, but the red court knew she was coming. Someone in Ever After was a spy, though it was impossible to tell who. Despite how sneaky she’d been, despite all the training she’d done to keep hidden, the minute she stepped over the border into crimson territory, card guards folded over her in an impossible ambush. Darling had no chance of escaping, shackled and dragged halfway across Wonderland only to be tossed underground to await trial. It was hard to tell how many days or nights had passed since then; they’d all blurred together. 

This was Lizzie’s doing. Darling knew it was, because Queen Andesine—the woman she’d been sent to spy on—was dead. 

And though Darling had very little knowledge about what was going on outside her solitary cell, she knew the Red Court had succeeded in an invasion of Ever After. An invasion that had no doubt been planned while Lizzie was actively attending classes. She probably knew about it long before Queen Snow White ever became suspicious. The guards spoke of the attack loudly and in grandeur, recounting their taking of prisoners and slaying of the Queen’s white knights. Her comrades. Her brothers in arms. Dead. Slain. Beheaded and speared like pigs. There were others here too, and Darling could feel nothing but shame. It was her job to keep Ever After safe, but instead she was tied up in chains like another hunk of meat. Pulling against the irons, the pain it brought was too much as Darling instantly stopped, hissing in agony. 

Pathetic. 

Dazed and floating in and out of injury-induced sleep, Darling jerked to alertness as the lock to her cell scraped aside. The red painted metal creaked as card guards marched in wielding spears and handcuffs. 

“It is time for trial, traitorous scum,” one said, its voice echoing inside its helmet. Darling could only huff as she was released from the wall, collapsing to her knees as her arms were roughly pinned behind her. “Today, you face the Red Queen. March.” 

Pulled to her feet and shoved forward, Darling stumbled as feeling slowly returned to her limbs. Squinting in the lamps which lined the prison halls, the fresh air which touched her skin as she was guided out made her sigh. Unfortunately, the bliss didn’t last. 

“…unhand me! Unhand me you flat-faced heathens!” 

Recognizing Apple’s familiar shrieking tone, Darling straightened, a breath hitching in her throat. No. In the prison courtyard, completely surrounded by the red army, the other prisoners Lizzie had taken were waiting to go in, chained in a line. 

Dexter. Cedar. Raven. Duchess (who was knelt, unable to stand), and Apple, who was still thrashing as a cloth was pulled between her teeth to silence her cries. 

“Keep walking.” Poked roughly in the back with a spear, Darling stumbled across the cobblestones. She probably looked as poorly as she felt; Apple’s watery blue eyes popped out of her head at seeing her. Shame. Regret. Sorrow. Anger. Hatred. The conversation they had right before Darling left replayed in her mind. The promise to return safely rang empty in her ears. She was such a fool. Dropping her head, avoiding the worried, pained stares of her peers, Darling felt a guard tighten her irons. “No funny business, spy,” it hissed. “Or the blonde one gets it.” 

Not having the strength to say much of anything, Darling didn’t fight it as a knotted rope was pulled between her lips, the fibers rough against her dry tongue. 

“Let’s go,” another guard ordered, giving the line of prisoners a pull. Single file they marched, Darling pulling up the rear as they were brought into the Red Palace. It arched above them in fantastic bloody curls, twisting in a mosaic of power and crushing hopelessness. 

They were all going to die. 

No one escaped the wrath of the Red Queen; it was almost guaranteed. Darling could do nothing to save herself or her friends from this fate. She could be as noble and as strong as she wanted, but that didn’t change the situation they were in. Death was imminent, and she could only stand by and watch as it happened. Tears burned the corner of her eyes, cutting through the muck and the grit caked across her cheeks. Shame morphed into fear as they were pulled through a massive pair of wooden double doors, the checkerboard floor dizzying in her eyes (eyes still so accustomed to the dungeons' darkness). 

What a fearful, cowardly, pathetic thing she was. She’d failed in her task. She failed her mission. And she’d failed her friends. There was nothing but dishonor waiting for her at the other end of an ax.  

“Court in session! Silence in the gallery.” 

There was a hushed buzz of voices. Above them, in many rings of balconies, the people of the red court looked down upon them like zoo animals. Some jeered and spat, others looked forlorn. After all, their kingdom was now at war; it was a terrifying time. In the very closest balcony, a blotch of familiar colors caught Darling’s eye. Maddie held Kitty’s bent elbow, neither looking overly pleased to be present. It was impossible to tell from here what the two were thinking, but it wasn’t satisfaction on their faces. What could two tokens of the Queen possibly be thinking at a time like this? “Kneel for the Queen, prisoners.” 

Darling felt a hand roughly shove her down as she collapsed to her knees, dirty white hair tangled and rancid with her own sweat as it fell into her face. There was an echoing clack as the guards hit the ground with their weapons, the sound bouncing all the way up to the very top of the throne room. 

A second pair of massive doors were pushed open, these ones gilded with the crest of the Red Court and painted the color of blood. Lizzie was larger than life in her skirt of red, black and white tulle, adorned with cards, checkerboards, and the crown once belonging to her mother. Her blue eyes were filled with nothing but cruelty and coldness, while her expression was stern and taught. She looked very much like Queen Andesine…the late ruler would no doubt be proud of her heir. On Lizzie’s left walked a Knight in shimmering red armor, their pointed helmet and plume obscuring his (or her) identity. The famed Red Knave; general of the Red Army. The very same who no doubt led the charge against Ever After, and who the guards spoke of in high regard. Yet…he still stood on Lizzie’s left side. 

Traditionally, it was the Queen’s favored who stood on the right. She herself always stood on Snow White’s left, with Apple on her right. But Lizzie did not keep her general on her favored side. Shifting her eyes ever slightly to see who held such a coveted position, Darling’s heart stopped. She blinked in confusion, ridding her eyes of their bleary haze. 

Briar? 

The daughter of roses was almost unrecognizable, dressed in the colors and patterns of the Red Court. Her hair had been dyed black on one side, while a diamond shaped marking had been painted across her face. A token of the Queen, Darling recalled faintly. Lizzie held Briar’s arm as they walked, not just a symbol of incredible trust, but also incredible power. To be on the right side of a Queen of Wonderland was no laughing matter. To escort her into court was even less so. 

As the pair brought Lizzie up the steps to her throne, she looked upon them all with an unmoving stare. Briar’s eyes, previously pale and milky, once again held their color, healed of their blindness. The carnelian irises were bright and more vibrant than ever, though there was no joy to be had in them. Briar looked…empty…like she had been gutted and haphazardly put back together again. 

The fact that Lizzie had marked her as belonging to the crown was very telling, and Darling wondered why. Briar was prickly and stubborn; she wouldn’t just accept being carted around at the Red Queen’s arm. At least…not without good reason, anyway. 

Darling desperately wanted to know that reason. But right now, she was clueless and as good as dead. 

“Let court begin,” Lizzie ordered, sitting down in her large skirt. The Red Knave and Briar respectively took a knee on either side of her throne. “Welcome to Wonderland. I hope your journey was fair?” Lizzie pursed her lips, running her sharp nails across the arm of her chair. “You are here in my Kingdom as prisoners. The Ever Queen has broken our treaty of peace by siding with the Court of Chess. Our world is now unbalanced, and we sit on the precipice of disaster.” 

There was a murmur in the courtroom as Lizzie raised a hand, instantly silencing the noise. “Today is a momentous day. Not only have we taken prisoners from the Ever Queen as retribution for her treachery, but the Wonderland Prophecy has once again found the Red Court a champion.” 

More noise in the gallery. Excitement and wonder, whispers of riddlish that Darling couldn’t possibly know. But understanding dawned on her suddenly as Briar was brought to her feet by Lizzie’s hand. “Kneel before me, daughter of roses.” Briar did so in complete silence, all but collapsing down onto one leg as she gently kissed Lizzie’s pale knuckles. “I have promised to grant you a most generous favor before this court. In return, you have promised to take the mantle of Red Champion. Is this so?” 

“Yes, your majesty.” Briar lifted her head slightly, giving Darling a better look at her newly dyed hair. Black as night, streaked in red, tan, and white. Truly a doll for Lizzie’s pleasure. A plaything. Her property. 

The Red Queen rose slowly to her feet, smoothing her dress and waving a hand. Four guards carried a wooden box on long silver posts, marching to the steps. It was the Red Knave who fetched the artifact inside, revealing a gleaming sword of exquisite red silver and studded with gemstones. Darling couldn’t help her awe despite the situation. She had only heard legends of such a weapon; she didn’t know it actually existed. 

“The vorpal sword is an artifact as old as the Jabberwocky itself. It will decide if you are truly the one we’ve been waiting for. Do you, Briar Rose Beauty of the bramble woods, pledge your body, blood, and heart to Wonderland? Do you promise your unwavering allegiance to the Red Court for as long as you live?” 

Darling couldn’t help but jerk. Don’t agree! Don’t agree to die for this wicked place! A guard pulled down on her shackles, sending a spear of white hot pain through her arms. 

“I do, your majesty,” Briar said, her voice but a whisper as Lizzie’s lip curled. 

“Are you willing to die for your Queen, my champion?” 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“Then as monarch of this court I claim you, and gift you the title of Knight Rose Red, Champion of the Court of Cards, favored by the Queen.” Lizzie touched the edge of the vorpal blade to each of Briar’s shoulders, as the guards banged their weapons against the floor. 

“Long live Rose Red. Champion of Wonderland!” 

“Rise, my love. You bow to no one.” Lizzie assisted Briar back to her feet, holding out the blade still in her hands. “This is now rightfully yours. With it, you will bring honor to me, and to this court.” 

Briar bowed respectfully. “Thank you, your majesty.” 

“And, as we agreed upon, your favor will be granted.” Pivoting, Lizzie and Briar looked upon them. “Your souls have been spared today, heathens. My champion has bartered for your lives and we have come to an acceptable agreement. You will not face the executioner this day, but rather, you will be painted red and made to work in my palace instead. You will be slaves to this court until the end of your days, but you will live. Guards, take them away to be prepared.” 

There was a shuffle as Cedar, Dexter, Raven and Apple were all dragged through a side door, vanishing from sight. Darling and Duchess were the only two who remained. Lizzie glared down at them with the coolness of a winter storm. 

“As for you two, your lives are mine to do with as I please. I have no need for traitors in my kingdom. You, by attempting to assassinate my champion.” Duchess honked weakly, sitting pathetically on the floor. She looked awful, having been stuck here longer than Darling had, or so she could only assume. “And you,” Lizzie’s lip twitched as Darling glanced up to glower at her. “A spy for the enemy. It should be off with your heads, it’s only just. But I think I will wait a bit longer to decide.” Lizzie huffed, her shoulders straightening in satisfaction. “I do enjoy watching you suffer. Return them both to the dungeons. Court is dismissed.” 

Darling yelped in pain as she was brought to her feet, tasting copper from how the rope in her mouth rubbed against the interior of her cheek. Desperately finding Briar’s gaze, steady and unyielding, she very much looked the part of a champion. The vorpal blade glimmered in her hand, suited perfectly to her tall and limber physique. Yet as they stared at one another, a very slight furrow appeared in the girl's brow. 

Briar knew exactly what she was doing, Darling decided then. She had saved their friends. She had done that what Darling herself could not. She had bartered her own life against that of three innocent souls and Apple, who probably would’ve been left in the dungeon to rot if Lizzie hadn’t been convinced otherwise. And though the deal didn’t include herself or Duchess, it didn’t really matter in the end. Because for the first time in the history of the Red Court, the Queen had let not one, but several prisoners keep their heads. Slavery wasn’t great (Apple would certainly have some complaints), but it wasn’t the guillotine or ax. 

Briar gave Darling a very slight head tilt, moving to rest her new weapon across her shoulders. And as she was dragged out backwards by the wrists, wincing and hissing in pain, Darling watched Lizzie place a kiss on Briar’s cheek, just as she’d done the day they first met. 

She knew. Darling felt anger blaze to life in her gut as the doors were slammed behind her, obscuring her view of the courtroom. Lizzie knew this entire time what she wanted Briar to do. That was her favor. 

Lizzie saved Briar’s life, just so she could run into battle and die on the chessboard instead.

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirty-Three: Interlude (The Compendium of a Soul)

It was a dark and stormy night in Wonderland. 

Freezing wind tore at the rose bushes outside the Red Queen’s balcony, howling like a pack of enraged beasts. Pale raindrops scratched at the glass, while thunder rolled and lightning flashed, illuminating the distant horizon in streaks of silvery white. Yet little Elizabeth–future heir to the red throne and Queen Andesine’s most precious possession–slept on. Sitting by her bassnett, rocking it despite the terrible weather, the Red Queen hummed a lullaby under her breath, her own eyes heavy from a long day of running her court. She knew a child that didn’t startle at thunder would make a formidable Queen herself one day; of this, she had little doubt. 

Dozing on a hand as she rocked her only child into dreams, there was a harsh bang as the doors to the nursery were thrown open. Startled and enraged that anyone would intrude on her peace, the sound of distant and agonized screaming cut through the haze. One of her chambermaids stood in the doorway, her hands coated in blood. “Your majesty, I beg your pardon!” 

Alarmed, Andesine immediately rose, leaving Elizabeth in the care of her nurse (who lingered in the corner like a shadow). “What is the meaning of this?” 

“A woman, a foreigner; she has fallen on your doorstep, your grace.” 

“What of the blood? Is she dying?” 

“With child, your majesty. She’s giving birth as we speak.” 

“Take me there.” 

Not needing to exchange any more words, Queen Andesine followed the maid through the halls. The stranger had been brought inside and given a room, servants and chambermaids running about with basins of water and towels. The woman was still howling in pain, much like the wind raging outside. Entering the chamber herself, those inside bowed respectfully before continuing their work. The girl was no older than seventeen–she was young, too young, for the Red Queen’s taste. Though in a rather precarious position, she was quite a lovely thing, her dusky cheeks flushed with the pains of childbirth, and her dark walnut curls pasted to her neck by sweat and rain. 

She was, however, a stranger. It was clear enough she did not belong to Wonderland. 

Approaching the bedside, the girl stopped her thrashing for a moment, staring up at her with a very unusual pair of eyes. They were wide and frightened, shimmering a vicious carnelian red like the gemstones Andesine liked to keep in her jewelry. 

“Y-your majesty…” she huffed out the title, flinging her head back as her lithe frame shook. “P-please…please forgive me…” 

“Who are you, child? Where have you come from?” 

“I am…Damascena, of the-the Kingdom of Roses, your highness.” The girl–Damascena–screamed again, grabbing onto the sheets with both hands. The Kingdom of Roses? Andesine frowned in contemplation. She had heard through the rose vine that the girl who slept for one-hundred-years had recently been awakened. But she cared little about the stories of Ever After. Wonderlandians didn’t force destiny in that way, therefore it was of little care to her. However, if this were the case, Damascena was a Queen in her own right. Or so Andesine had come to understand. The teen wasn’t dressed like royalty–she wore no finery or silk that exposed her status–but it didn’t matter. A Queen was a Queen. 

But why was this very young ruler away from her kingdom? And in such a state, no less. She was obviously ready to give birth, her swollen stomach gave that much away. Yet how had she come to be at her palace’s doorstep? 

“The baby is coming, your majesty,” a handmaid said, snapping Andesine out of her thoughts. “Push, child. You’re almost there.” 

Damascena groaned in pain, clenching her teeth and slinging her head back with a wail. Not sure what else to do with herself, Andesine placed a hand on the girl’s forehead, hoping it would bring some comfort. Her own experience birthing a child had been unpleasant. And though Elizabeth was precious to her, she had no desire to follow through with such a task again. She somehow doubted she’d make it through a second child, what with how poorly the first had gone. But Damascena didn’t seem to have any problems, giving one final moan as a newborn’s wailing cry broke through the air. 

“There now!” The handmaid instantly swaddled the babe in a crimson wrap, snipping the chord still attached as she began to wash her in a water basin. “It’s a girl. A beautiful girl.” 

“I’m so sorry,” Damascena whispered, drawing Andesine’s attention. The poor thing, despite her exhaustion, had begun to weep. Not of joy–not from the pain of bringing new life into the world–but of sorrow. “My little girl, I’m so, so sorry.” 

“Why do you speak such words to your daughter?” Andesine wondered, pushing wet hair back behind the young mother’s ear. “Words have power, child.” 

“The curse…the curse is her’s now. It’s all my fault!” Damascena shook in her melancholy, and only now did Andesine realize something had changed. Her eyes, viciously red only a moment ago, were now dark and colorless like marbles. Startled at the realization, the Red Queen stood, pointing at the maid currently cleaning and rocking the newborn baby. 

“Give me the child,” she ordered, holding out her arms. The baby was instantly passed over, still so small, mewling and shifting as Andesine gazed down upon her. She looked like her mother, dusky brown with wisps of dark brown hair. Yet as the Queen ran a thumb across her forehead, teasing the skin, the infant’s eyes slowly parted. Andesine’s heart dropped like a stone. 

Carnelian eyes. 

“What’s wrong, your majesty?” 

“This child is tainted by dark magic,” she answered, causing all in the room to pause in horror. 

“Shall we summon the curse breaker?” One of the footmen asked in alarm. “Perhaps he could remove such magic?” 

“I believe…this is a familial curse, passed from parent to child.” Andesine turned to Damascena, who stared tiredly from the bed. “You wished to be here before the child was born?” 

“I tried,” the young mother croaked, a maid gently laying a towel across her sweaty forehead. “They say you…you are wise, your majesty. That you are a soothsayer who can see the future.” 

“I am no matter of fortune teller,” Andesine complained, readjusting the babe in her arm. “Why have you come here tonight?”

“Destiny is cruel,” Damascena rasped. “My daughter–my most precious thing–I wished to find a way to remove this curse before it took hold. I’ve tried everything; I hoped you might know a way. But I’m too late.” The teenager hiccuped weakly as she began to weep again. “My little girl; what a burden I’ve given her to bear.” 

“To sleep one-hundred-years?” Andesine confirmed, watching the ill girl slowly nod her head. 

“It’s a legacy laid in briar thorns that brings only pain and suffering. A fate that turns a soul into a shadow, happily ever after be damned. I wished to save her; I wished to reach you sooner. But I can do nothing now.” 

“Rest now dear, you’re running a fever,” one of the chambermaids whispered, cradling Damascena’s face as her eyes fluttered. “Be still and silent, or you’ll do more harm than good.” 

“This child needs a name,” Andesine ordered briskly, glancing at the mother, only to find she was no longer conscious. “Rose,” the Queen decided then, looking upon the little face still swaddled in red silk stained with blood. “Briar Rose will be her title for now, until her mother awakes.” 

“Shall I take her to feed, your highness?” 

“No. I may be no soothsayer, but the compendium of a soul is clearest at birth. I will look to see what may be in store for her. Care for young Damascena until I return; she will not die when her child was born of Wonderland.” 

There were bows and mumbles of ‘yes, your highness’ as Andesine swept from the room, young Briar Rose still in one arm. She was a bit larger than Elizabeth; no doubt she’d be quite limber when she grew. Allowing the baby to hold one of her fingers as they walked, Andesine couldn’t help her fondness. She did love children, and though she would not go through the pain of rearing a second heir, her ideal would’ve been a large family. 

Stepping into a corridor away from the others, hidden behind a dark velvet curtain, Andesine entered the chessboard room. She didn’t spend quite so much time here–what with an heir to raise and a kingdom to ruleb–but she’d spent plenty of days holed up in this room as a youth, studying the compendiums of Wonderland’s past, present, and future. Elizabeth would one day learn to do the same, but for now, Rose was her mission. Stepping up to a table, a single deck of cards and a golden bowl of reddish oil was still set upon its ruby surface. 

“Let’s see what is written in your compendium, little one,” Andesine mumbled, dragging her thumb through the bowl and smearing the red coloration across the baby’s forehead. With a shimmer it vanished into her skin, and the cards on the table vibrated as they flew from the table. Stepping into the middle of the checkerboard floor, Andesine’s hair whipped as the cards flew faster and faster, sparking with golden fire as they created a vortex of color and shape. Soon, the compendium began to reveal itself in pale flickers.  

A girl running through a forest of twisting thorns, shadows nipping at her heels. 

A young woman standing tall against the wings of a giant eagle, its eyes ablaze with fire. 

A warrior riding upon the back of a winged beast, wielding a blade as she charged into battle. 

A child once more, holding a large book between her arms as she is kissed on the forehead by her mother. 

“...this world is unfair! I never asked for this legacy!” An unfamiliar voice echoed from the compendium, ringing like a bell in the empty room. Andesine’s eyes widened as she took in all there was to see. An entire lifetime played out in such exquisite clarity like nothing she’d ever seen. “I will end this story! This pain and suffering needs to stop. Destiny is not a weapon!” 

“Today, girl, I’ll finally have the pleasure of killing you…”

“You saved my life more than once, therefore I should be kneeling to you…” 

“I thought destiny is what I wanted! But not at the expense of everything I’ve ever loved!” 

“I stand by you. We have to end this today.” 

“My love, you are truly of a different breed.” Despite all the voices coming through the compendium, Andesine was startled by one that sounded suspiciously like her own. “You will rise from this darkness like the Jabberwocky rises from its ashes. A champion I have made you, Briar, therefore a champion you shall be.” 

“Long live Rose Red, Champion of Wonderland!” 

There was a flash as the cyclone of swirling cards suddenly paused. The cacophony of noise and voices ceased, but the visions didn’t end. Instead, two figures made of golden dust stood before her. One she recognized as Damascena herself, only just beginning to show in the stomach. This was not a part of Briar’s future, the Red Queen realized, but a moment from her own mother’s past. Perhaps a vision from not that long ago. 

“...it is only natural that your first daughter takes on the mantle of Sleeping Beauty. It is the way of our world.” Andesine sneered. She knew the grating, twittering voice of the Ever Queen. “She will of course attend Ever After first, but only for a few years until her dark fairy is ready to do the deed.” 

“I don’t want that. My daughter deserves better than being forced to live out this curse like it’s some sort of blessing.” 

“You haven’t a choice, dear. Without a Sleeping Beauty, the story will disappear, and that’s not something I can allow.” 

“Well it’s something I can stop. I won’t let this story continue. It’s cruel and only brings pain and suffering. My daughter deserves to live. I’ll find a way to stop this. I’m sure there’s something that can be done.” 

“You’re making a very big mistake, Damascena. Be reasonable. You will have other children, I’m sure.” 

“My daughter is not a token to be used, your majesty.” 

“Should you not wish to raise your daughter to be the princess she’s destined to be, fine, but I will take matters into my own hands. If you do not allow this story to play out as it must, my guard will come and take the child from you and I will raise her myself.” 

“You will not take my daughter away from me!” 

“You don’t have a choice, Damascena. Do as I say, or face the consequences…” 

There was a crackle of static as the vision suddenly disappeared, the cards all tumbling down and piling on the floor in a half-moon. Andesine exhaled sharply, blinking as the baby in her arms began to cry. “Shh, shh, it’s alright.” Running the tip of her nail down little Briar Rose’s forehead to try and settle her, Andesine began to pace, taking in all that she had seen and heard. 

Damascena had come to her not only to try and find a way to break the curse, but to keep her away from the Ever Queen, who threatened to steal her away. To force destiny. Andesine sneered again, her hatred for Snow White only growing in its passion. But as she looked to the other side of the room, a glass display held the most precious artifact of Wonderland’s history. 

The vorpal blade shone faintly in the dark, its reddish edge glinting and its gemstones shimmering in the low light. Glancing down at little Rose again, the title of champion settled at the front of Andesine’s mind. It had been foretold many time’s in their history that a champion would be chosen to restore balance to Wonderland. Already she knew the Court of Chess was gaining more power under the rule of Queen Ivory, daughter of Queen Alabaster, who had recently died. 

But did she really hold all of Wonderland’s future in her hands? The daughter of a foreigner? The heir to an entirely different legacy? No. Andesine shook her head in realization. Though Damascena herself may have been an outsider, her daughter was born on Wonderland’s soil. It was said in the prophecy that only a champion of their world could wield the vorpal blade in battle. 

Briar Rose was Wonderlandian. She was destined to be a champion. And Andesine was now tasked with making sure the Ever Queen never, ever reached her. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Deep Dark Woods

"When traveling in the dark, it's good to assume that wherever you look, something else is looking right back." 

Ashlynn normally loved the woods.

She loved the flowers and the creatures that lived in the trees and underbrush. She loved how the sun pierced the canopy of emerald branches in stunning blades, making simple dirt paths appear to be paved in gold. Birds were always chirping, the wind was always rustling, and she was always humming.

Right now, she was not humming.

Ash had never seen the trees quite so dark before. There wasn’t a sound to be heard except their own footsteps. No birds. No wind. Nothing but an awful, foreboding stillness. Rosabella was in the lead, guiding them down a twisting path through the deep, dark wood. Blondie, who held the rear, was quaking. Her teeth chattered as she jumped and squeaked at every noise. Most of which were her own.  “…w-we should go back,” she whimpered, running ahead to grab Bella’s arm, halting their progress. “We should just turn around. This is a bad idea.”

“What if Ever After was overthrown by the Red Queen’s guard?” Rosabella offered, uncommonly stern as she gave Blondie a finger to the chest. “Do you want to go back and possibly lose your head?”

“We’re going to get lost, o-or eaten, or attacked this deep in the forest. There could be bears out here.”

“Of course there’s bears out here, it’s the woods.” Sounding an awful lot like her cousin, Bella rolled her eyes, adjusted her glasses, and pushed Blondie’s hand off her arm. “We keep going.”

“But…”

“Bella’s right,” Ash agreed, trying not to sound so timid as she cleared her throat. “We shouldn’t go back. It’s not safe.”

“And this is?”

“If you want to go back, then go,” Rosabella threatened, waving her arm back towards where they’d come from. “We aren’t going to stop you.”

Blondie immediately clacked her jaw shut with a whimper. “No. N-no, I’ll come.” She pouted then, leaning down to remove her shoes with a wince. “But, porridge, are we going to walk the entire way? My feet are killing me.”

“We wouldn’t make it on foot,” Rosabella pointed out. “The Kingdom of Thorns is at the very edge of Ever After, at least a day by horse. There’s a logging village not far from here. We gather ourselves there, then maybe we can barter for some transportation.”

“I wish Farrah was here,” Blondie grumbled. “We could just magic ourselves there.”

Wincing at the mention of the future Fairy Godmother—someone who she’d fought with before everything went down—Ashlynn hugged herself, lingering behind as she stared at the ground. Her heels were all dirty, caked with mud and debris from the forest floor. She wouldn’t say it out loud, but her own feet were starting to get sore from how long they’d been walking. It felt like forever since they'd left, yet the woods all looked the same by now. Ashlynn wasn’t even sure if Bella knew where she was taking them.

They hadn’t seen anyone else make it out of Ever After behind them. As far as she knew, they were the only ones who made it out. Hopefully the Queen’s White Knights had managed to push back the invaders. But at what cost? The mere idea of bloodshed caused Ash to shiver and she instantly wished Briar was here. But Briar was gone—dead, escaped, or trapped someplace. She hadn’t made it out either, or if she had, she’d gone in a completely different direction. Ash could only hope she found a way to save herself.

“Hey, you ok?” Bella had fallen back to walk with her, catching her thoughts as she draped her fur-lined cloak across her shoulders. “You’re shivering.”

“I’m worried,” Ash admitted, a familiar burn tingling to life across her eyelids as she pushed the tears down. Now wasn’t the time for that. “I wish Briar was here. I hope she's ok. I hope everyone is ok.”

“Briar is…well…she’s herself, she’ll be just fine,” Rosabella offered, taking Ashlynn’s arm and resting it in her elbow. “We’re going to get someplace safe, I promise. And, if Briar is alive somewhere, she’ll kill me herself if I don’t.”

“Blondie has a point though,” Ash frowned. “These woods are dangerous; there could be a million things watching us in here.”

“All the more reason to keep going and get to that village. Come on; we keep walking.”

Allowing Bella to tug her along, Ash grabbed Blondie as they continued on their way, careful not to trip on any uprooted branches or sharp stones. The air was getting darker and colder the longer they walked, threatening rainfall. Soon, the patter of a storm filled their ears, though most of the water never even reached the ground. The woods were much too thick here. Huddling together to preserve a bit of warmth, Ash realized she was still wearing Bella’s coat. The girl didn’t seem all that bothered by the weather, not even shivering as she fearlessly guided them along. That all changed when her body suddenly went rigid and she dug in her heels. “Stop.” Bella pivoted, looking behind them as her brows furrowed. Her pinkish eyes–not a dissimilar color to her cousin’s–flashed dangerously bright in the darkness. “Do you hear that?”

“H-hear what?” Blondie became a statue, clinging desperately to Ashlynn’s arm as Bella stared down the path, narrowing her gaze behind her glasses. Her nostrils flared and something akin to a snort escaped. Ash stared where Bella did, seeing nothing but woods and darkness. Then, seemingly from nowhere, a pair of bright yellow eyes peered from the trees.

“Back!” Rosabella pulled them off the trail and into the underbrush, a very animal-like snarl coming from her as something burst from the forest with a howl. There was a flash of lightning and a peel of thunder as two bodies collided in a splay of limbs, collapsing into the dirt.

“Bella!” Ash barked, scrambling to her feet as the brunette wrestled with someone. Apparently the bookworm was stronger than she looked, flipping her attacker over and pinning her to the ground back first. Except…it was no animal that had been tracking them. It was a friend. “Bella, stop! It’s Cerise!”

Rosabella’s eyes shone like embers as she bared her teeth. Under her hands, Cerise growled much the same, her eyes a bright yellow, her mouth filled with fangs and her ears…wolf-like. Stepping forward, Ash grabbed her friend's shoulder, giving it a shake. “Bella, snap out of it! Let her go.”  

It took a very long moment—too long—but eventually Rosabella stood up, releasing Cerise who remained flat on her back, staring up at them with massive, moon-like eyes.

“What’s the matter with you!” Rosabella snarled in anger. “Don’t sneak up on people in the middle of the woods!”

“I didn’t know it was you,” Cerise complained, rolling over onto her stomach and giving her entire body a shake. “You smell like a wet dog.”

“Right back at you,” Bella grumbled, folding her arms and glowering as Cerise got to her feet. Blondie, who’d only just managed to wrestle her way out of the bush, pointed with a shaking hand.

“Y-you…your ears!”

Cerise, obviously annoyed, quickly put up her hood.

“It’s no use hiding it, they’ve already seen,” Rosabella complained, waving a hand. “Big bad wolf.”

“I am not!” Cerise barked in annoyance. “What about you, huh? Have you told them your little secret?”

Rosabella stiffened, lifting her nose to the sky in an almost haughty way. Ashlynn, not entirely sure what was going on, quickly stepped between them. “Time out,” she ordered. “What is going on? Cerise, how did you find us? What are you?”

“She’s a wolf,” Bella hissed, jabbing at the girl with a finger. “She’s been hiding it since she got to Ever After.”

“At least I’m not destined to be a beast like you,” Cerise snarled back, showing off her impressive mouth of teeth as her eyes glowed. Bella’s shimmered in return, narrowing into slits before flickering back to normal.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Ash made a ‘T’ with her hands, furrowing her brows. She pointed to Cerise. “You are part wolf?”

The girl tilted her head, pulling deeper into her cloak. “My mom was Little Red, but my dad…well, there’s only one wolf in my story.”

“Ok. And you,” Ash turned to Rosabella, who’s face crumpled in return. “You’re….?”  

Bella tapped her heel against the ground, rubbing the side of her arm. “I take after my dad. Briar’s not the only one in this family who’s cursed by the narrative.”

“And you didn’t think to tell us that before we started walking into the woods with you?” Blondie yelped, jumping behind Ash with another terrified quiver. “She might eat us!”

“She’s not going to eat us, and Cerise isn’t either,” Ash complained, pushing Blondie off her shoulder. “We have to stick together now. Right?”

“I didn’t come alone,” Cerise mumbled, her tone bland as she placed both hands on her hips. “Daring! Hurry up!”

“Coming!” There was a rustle of branches as a familiar boy with shining gold hair stumbled through the underbrush, his white coat torn and tattered from the journey. “I’m a Prince, I shouldn’t be stumbling through the woods in the dark…”

“You brought a villain with you?” Rosabella arched her brow questioningly as Cerise narrowed her eyes.

“Hey, don’t forget who the real beast is here.”

“Knock it off you two,” Ash groaned, clapping her hands to break the tension as Daring looked between them all. “Daring, how did you get here?”

“With Cerise,” Daring pointed to the girl in question, his face uselessly blank. “I just followed her.”

“Did anyone else get out?”

“There was a massive rush from the east side of the school,” Cerise answered. “We took the long way around.”

“We got out through the west side,” Rosabella confirmed. “Probably why we didn’t see anyone.”

“Ok, so there might be others,” Ash sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. She was getting sweaty from the oddly humid weather. “The longer we stand here arguing, the more time we waste. Cerise, Daring, did you catch up with us on purpose or not?”

“I smelled her from a mile away,” Cerise complained, pointing as Rosabella with a nail and a wrinkled nose. “That’s why we went this direction.”

“So we stay as a group. There’s safety in numbers. Can you two stand each other for that long?” Glancing between Bella and Cerise questioningly, the two shrugged in unison. “Bella, you seem to know where you’re going. Lead the way.”

“Fine. But she stays in the rear.”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

Rosabella and Cerise growled at each other, causing Ashylnn to roll her eyes. But, thankfully, there were no more problems as they began traveling again. Daring kept close to Blondie, the pair shaking together. Cerise lingered behind, keeping to the shadows of her hood. Keeping pace with Bella, who had gone quiet, Ash touched her arm curiously.

“Are you ok?” She wondered honestly. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“You know how Ever After treats villains,” the girl spat under her breath. “It was a miracle this kind of mistake happened at all. I didn’t…I’d rather be the princess of my story than some sort of heartless beast like my father was…is.” Bella screwed up her nose.

“Did Briar know?”

“I haven’t told anyone,” Bella admitted. “The only reason Cerise knows is because we both happen to have keen senses of smell. I…I’m sorry, I hope you don’t think I’m a terrible friend or something.”

“No.” Ash shook her head. “Having spent an extended period of time with your cousin, I don’t really look at destiny the same way anymore.”

“Hmm. Briar does have that effect on people,” Bella nodded. “She doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

“Briar doesn’t like anyone. Don’t worry too much about it.”

“I just hope we can reach someplace safe before dark,” Bella whispered, looping an arm through her’s and looking to the sky. “I don’t think this storm is going to let up anytime soon.”

“We can only hope,” Ash agreed. The deep dark woods weren’t getting any lighter, that was for sure. If anything, they were only getting darker.

And that was never a good thing.

Chapter Text

Chapter 35: An Errand for the Queen 

"Woe to those who see friends on the other side of the battlefield." 

Briar wasn’t used to clattering every time she took a step. 

She wasn’t the stealthiest person in Ever After, obviously. But being fitted for her own half-suit of armor hadn’t been part of the plan either. Pausing in front of a mirror to look at herself, it was hard to imagine she wasn’t in some sort of crazy nightmare. Her newly-dyed hair was pulled tightly back into a strict braid, while the tattoo across her eye burned with its freshness. The armor Lizzie ordered her was exquisite, just a chest-plate with shoulder pauldrons, but in steel so bronzy it was almost red and pounded with patterns of curling brambles and rose petals. She’d been reassured that the rest of the suit was in the process of being made. 

Why she needed armor in the first place was a mystery. But, then again, Wonderland seemed like a very dangerous place. Lifting her hand, Briar sighed heavily as she rested it on the hilt of her new blade. The Vorpal Sword was apparently something legendary—something worth more in legacy and honor than its weight in gold. Removing it from the belt at her hip, Briar was amazed how natural it felt in her hand. She hadn’t done much sword-fighting in the bramble woods; her hunting was done with a bow and arrow. But she’d wielded an axe and machete to keep the woods at bay, and this sword (despite its beauty) felt appropriately weighty. 

Its sharp edge probably cut through skin like butter, while its flat could crack skulls like eggshells. It was tinted in a shade of red not dissimilar to her armor and Briar wondered what kind of metal it was. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Jerking her head up in surprise, Briar instinctually swung out an arm, sword and all. There was a reverberating clang as steel collided. Chase—Lizzie’s Red Knave—had blocked her elegantly, though his blue eyes widened just a touch. “You’re quick.” 

“Are you following me?” Briar’s question was sharp as she narrowed her gaze, red steel and white steel locked together at the blade. 

“Kinda.” Chase tilted his head. “I do live here, you know. And if I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it already,” he admitted. “But Lizzie—the Queen—would have my head if I did.” 

“You’re on a first name basis with her?” Briar wondered, not fully willing to back down first, leaving them locked in combat.

“Seeing as I’m her brother? Yes. Generally speaking we’re on a first name basis.” Chase stepped back, resting his weapon against the black and white checked marble. “You’re skittish for someone who’s said to be a ferocious warrior.” 

“I’m no warrior,” Briar admitted dryly, replacing the vorpal into her belt. “Just in the wrong place at the wrong time—seemingly all the time these days.” 

“Luck is a construct to try and make sense of what shouldn’t be made sense of,” Chase laughed, running a hand through his hair. “How does it feel? Being a Champion of the greatest Kingdom the world has ever known?” 

“Hard to say,” Briar shrugged. “I didn’t know Lizzie had a brother.” 

“Step-brother, if you want to bother with titles. And you?” 

“Eight brothers,” Briar nodded. “All by blood.” 

“Big family.” 

“Understatement of the year.” 

“Well, your instincts are good, Knight Red. You’re quick on your feet. Not everyone would’ve been able to nearly catch me off guard. 

“Thanks? But why does it matter to you?” Briar wondered, scrunching her nose at the use of her title. “What do you want from me?” 

“The Queen has asked that I train you in combat,” Chase said, sheathing his sword and giving a polite bow. “Seeing as I’m the captain of the guard, it’s kinda my job.” 

“Oh.” 

“What exactly are you doing this deep into the palace without an escort?” The boy asked, keeping an easy pace with her as she turned to continue on her way. 

“Errand for the Queen. Raven has requested an audience, one which her majesty intends to grant.” 

“The daughter of the Dark One.” Chase’s brow rose in skepticism. “I don’t trust her. It alarms me that you’re on a first name basis with such a creature.” 

“She’s not a creature, she’s a person. And she’s not like her mom—at least not yet.” 

“Bold choice of words. Her mother nearly overthrew Wonderland.” 

“So I’ve heard. But by now, I’ve learned that not everything is as it seems. Not in the past and not in the present.” 

Chase hummed a little. “How do you figure?” 

“Destiny has been kicking the ever after out of me for weeks. Too many twists and turns; pieces missing, threads untied? Plot holes I suppose. I don’t trust anything anyone says anymore.” 

“Destiny has little credence here, your grace. Wonderland is wild and has been wild for generations.” 

“Destiny is in the very air we breathe and it can be manipulated if pulled the right way.” 

Chase shook his head again with a scoff. “Impossible. Destiny is as tangible as pollen in the air.” 

“And yet you place your hopes on a dusty old prophecy,” Briar argued. “What is a prophecy if not another form destiny chooses to take?” 

“A prophecy is foreseen,” Chase pointed out as they rounded a corner. “It is woven into time and place by our ancestors. By the compendium which makes up every living thing.” 

“And destiny is a higher power that controls the future; fate itself. Prophecy is merely an act of seeing what is or what could be. It’s the same thing.” 

Halting their journey, Chase’s face wrinkled. His armor clanked as he placed a hand on his sword. “Lizzie said you were sharp tongued,” he mumbled, furrowing his brows. “I’m impressed. She’s chosen well.” 

“I hate destiny,” Briar spat in irritation. “It’s done nothing but screw me over my whole life. But I certainly didn’t ever see this,” Briar motioned to her armor. “In my future. So maybe I’m not destined to sleep for one-hundred years after all.” 

“Ah, but you were seen in our prophecy,” Chase laughed. “A great warrior of red and thorns to balance the scales of Wonderland? Lizzie sees something in you.” 

“I don’t ask for any of this, Chase,” Briar moaned, raking a hand across her scalp. “Your prophecy and my destiny are the same, and I hate them both.” 

“You’re funny, Briar Rose.” 

“You know, I think that’s the first time anyone’s ever called me funny,” Briar mumbled, pulling her braid mindlessly over one shoulder. This section of the castle was heavily guarded, each figure still as a statue besides the very slow movement of their heads.  

“No? What do the heathens in Ever After call you?” 

“Mm…most would say I’m prickly.” 

Chase laughed. It was a single bark of noise that caused his chestplate to rattle. “That you are, your grace. I’ll leave you then to your errand, but I expect you tomorrow at dawn to begin training.” 

“Training for what exactly?” Briar wondered, pinching her brows as Chase smirked. 

“You’ll see. Good day, Knight Red.” 

Briar blinked in confusion, watching Chase go before he disappeared completely. That didn’t bode well. Heaving a deep breath, she turned and approached the large wooden door. It wasn’t ornate like some of the others in the castle, made of simple dark wood with worn brassy handles. Two guards opened the room for her as she approached, saying nothing at all and not questioning her presence. The hall was massive and arching, servants and stewards running this way and that. Animals in aprons were busy stirring black cauldrons in preparation for the evening meal, while a fully grown bear stoked the fire with a long metal pole. 

“Your grace, welcome.” Glancing down, a pristine white rabbit stood on its hind-legs before her, its snout mottled with soot. It looked to be a female rabbit, though Briar couldn’t say. She gave a little bow, ears flattening. “What can we do for you?” 

“I was told that the…um…the prisoners were down here? I’ve been sent to fetch one for a royal audience.” 

“Ah, yes indeed. Right this way, m’lady.” Nodding and following the rabbit as she hopped her way across the room, Briar nodded to other animals as they stopped what they were doing to tilt their heads. She was brought to a door at the very back of the room, once again guarded by two flat faced cards. “M’lady is here to see the prisoners.” 

The guards shuffled aside on their metal feet, opening the door for Briar to enter. Leaving the rabbit servant behind, this room was blisteringly hot. Another massive fire was going, the walls stacked with wooden bunk beds and a single window that was barred with iron. 

“Briar?” Cedar noticed her entrance first, glancing up from where she sat slumped over a stool. Her wooden feet clattered against the tiles, a few more heads poking from the bunks. They looked rough, smeared with soot and dressed in drab red gowns or trousers with pale aprons. “Briar, are you ok?” 

“Fine, Cedar. I’m fine.” Stumbling backwards a little as the puppet-girl rammed into her with a hug, she awkwardly placed a hand on her hair. “Are you guys ok?” 

“We’ve been better,” Dexter complained, sitting on a top bunk with his legs dangling over the side. 

“Briar, where’s Darling?” Apple looked like a ghost , her makeup washed away revealing a rare bare face. Her curls had been cut off into something shorter—a fact that would no doubt send Snow White into a fit of rage. But, as expected, she looked physically fine if not completely exhausted. “Tell me she’s ok.” 

“I wish I came with better news,” Briar sighed. “I don’t know where Darling is.” 

“She could be hurt or—or dying,” Apple barked in panic. “Briar, you have to talk to Lizzie. She can’t do this.” 

“Darling is a traitor to the Red Court, Apple. She committed treason by coming here at the order of the Ever Queen. The punishment is death.” 

Apple blinked, her blue eyes practically bulging as she crinkled her once pristine brows. 

“Briar…you sound just like them.” 

“I don’t know if you realize, but this isn’t a game,” Briar urged, patting Cedar’s shoulder as she finally released her grip. “It’s a miracle no one died tonight, Apple. Especially Darling. That means her majesty has a plan in mind, something that…well…could be worse than death.” 

“What’s worse than death?” Dexter wondered, receiving only weary looks in return. 

“Seeing as this is Wonderland, who knows. You guys need to lay low. Just…do what the Queen says and she won’t kill you.” 

“I refuse to serve her ,” Apple hissed angrily. “She’s a tyrant.” 

“She’s Wonderland’s law,” Briar snapped, causing Apple to take a sudden and shocked step back. “You’ll obey unless you want your head presented to Snow White in a box!” 

“Briar,” Apple croaked in fear. “What’s gotten into you?” 

“I know my place,” Briar growled. “Do you?” 

“Briar?” Turning at Raven’s voice, she appeared from the shadows of one of the lower bunks. 

“Raven.” 

“You…you managed to convince Lizzie not to kill us. She said you’d agreed to become her Champion. What exactly does that mean?” 

“I…wish I knew that myself,” Briar sighed, shaking her head wearily. “I still don’t understand what Lizzie needs from me; she hasn’t exactly been forthcoming. It was some sort of prophecy; some Wonderlandian thing.” 

“But you’re not even from Wonderland,” Cedar pointed out, tilting her head. “Why you?” 

“I have no idea. I’ve done what I can to save you all, but this is so much bigger than I thought.” 

“So you’re just going to leave Darling to die?” Apple wondered. “After all she’s done for you?” 

“I didn’t say that,” Briar ground out, flexing her fists. “I’ve given everything I have to give in order to keep you all from being beheaded. I’m not sure you understand, but I’m as much a prisoner here as you.” 

Apple pouted her lips and crossed her arms. “What do you mean?” 

“I’ve given an oath to serve the Red Queen. My loyalty is her’s, at least for now. I have few doubts Lizzie is as ruthless as she seems; therefore it’s not in any of our best interests to test her.” 

“But you’ll try to save her?” Raven wondered. “Darling, I mean.” 

“I’ll try. But a traitor is different than innocent prisoners of war. Darling has direct ties to Snow White, someone who is an enemy to this part of Wonderland. So do you, Apple.” Giving the girl a firm stare, her eyes fell. “This is serious. Keep your heads down, do as you're told, and don’t do anything that might get yourselves killed.” 

“What about a plan?” Cedar urged, taking Briar’s wrist and shaking it. “Do you have one?” 

“I…no, I don’t. A life of servitude may not be what any of you want, but you’re not dead, and that’s all that matters right now.” 

There were silent head nods of agreement, though Apple looked like she wanted to argue. After all, she was quite a spoiled thing still, as sweet as she could be. A life of being a servant wouldn’t suit her, but it would have to do. Content that the others understood what to do moving forward, Briar pointed at Raven and crooked her finger. “You’re coming with me, Raven.” 

“Me? Why?” 

“You requested an audience with her majesty when you first arrived. She has agreed to hear what you have to say.” 

“Really?” Raven’s brows popped up as she stood, coming to Briar’s side. “Did you have something to do with that?” 

“No. Lizzie is playing chess at the moment; war is on the horizon for Wonderland. No doubt she thinks you have something of value.” 

“You seem to know a lot about what’s going on in this castle,” Raven pointed out, frowning as she let her gaze rake across Briar’s figure. “Are you sure you’re ok?” 

“I have no idea how I’m feeling right now,” Briar admitted. “Please just…don’t fight me, ok?” Reaching to her belt, Briar held up a pair of shackles. “It’s nothing personal.” 

“Why do you not fight against Lizzie’s cruelty, Briar?” Apple wondered, watching from a dusty windowsill as Briar turned Raven around, gently locking her hands. “You fought against mother, against destiny, against literally everything else. What’s different now?” 

“There are more heads on the line than just my own,” Briar said, giving Apple a pointed look over her shoulder. “Your mother is full of empty threats, Apple. She can say all she wants, but rarely will she execute out of fear of looking bad in front of her people. Lizzie is as bloodthirsty as she seems and her people expect to be protected by her ferocity. I may be on her good side now, but one misstep from me, and I doubt it would last. The same can be said for any of you.” 

“So you’re going to lay down your life for her?” 

“For Lizzie? Yes. At least…it doesn’t look like I have much choice at the moment,” Briar mumbled, placing a hand on Raven’s arm and giving it a squeeze. “Ok?” 

“A little dehumanizing,” Raven admitted, jostling her wrists in the chains. “But not too tight.” 

“Alright. Walk with me.” Pulling the daughter of the Evil Queen along, Briar felt three sets of eyes burning holes into the back of her head. She hated not having more answers to give, but the truth was that she’d folded. Lizzie had snaked under her defenses and made a nest there. Waiting until they were in a nearly empty hall, Briar sighed heavily. “Raven, I need you do answer something for me.” 

“Anything.” 

“Do you think your butterflies could reach beyond Wonderland?” 

Raven screwed up her face. “I don’t know; I’ve never tried. Why?” 

“I need to get a message to Ashlynn.” 

“About what, exactly?” 

“The key to the Storybook of Legends is still in my dorm, as well as a very specific deck of cards. I don’t want Snow White finding either of them. I trust Ash to keep them safe.” 

“What if Ashlynn’s not at Ever After anymore?” Raven wondered, frowning. “You won’t send her back there if she’s free, would you?” 

“Ash is smart,” Briar admitted. “She’ll figure out a way. Do you think you can do that for me?” 

“I’ll do my best. But…Briar, what exactly did you give up in exchange for our lives?” 

“More than I wanted too,” Briar sighed, urging Raven along with a gentle push. “I may not get out of this Raven. There’s a possibility that none of us will. I don’t think that’s something Apple can understand.” 

“No. Her very small world just got a bit bigger,” Raven agreed. “Do you really think it’ll come down to war?” 

“I don’t think, Raven. I know. War is coming, and we’re right in the middle of it.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 36: A Feather so Dark and Lovely

"Trust not the serpent that offers you an apple from its perch." 

Raven didn’t know what to expect, being summoned by the new Queen of Hearts. 

Her own chest threatened to betray her, thumping wildly against her ribs. The skin across her palms was horribly clammy, Briar’s presence at her shoulder only a faint comfort. She was gently nudged through an ornate door, one that easily could lead to her death. It was a vast suite with dizzying checkerboard floors and tall curling ceilings painted the color of blood. The air was warm and thick with the scent of baked goods, while small creatures in waist-coats or aprons skittered around with fresh linens, papers and ink, or refills of the biscuits and tea laid out on a low table. 

Lizzie sat amongst the mess in a comfortable velvet chair, reading a scroll while mindlessly sipping a cup of tea. She glanced up at their entrance, turquoise eyes keen and clear. Raven was surprised to find no malice there, just exhaustion as a pair of ruby red lips curled at the corners. She set down her cup with a small hum, where it was immediately refilled by a frog on two legs. “You make hexcellent time,” the girl stated, smoothing the folds of her dress. “Well done, Knight Red.” Lizzie’s soft features wrinkled a little as she added another spoonful of sugar to her cup. “Unlock her chains. We have much to discuss and I’d rather not do it in discomfort.” 

Briar didn’t speak, but set to work undoing the irons. There was a satisfying click as they released, allowing Raven to gingerly rub at her chafed wrists. Lizzie continued to smile, though Raven could feel the blue eyes taking her in from top to bottom, like a vulture looking over a possible meal. When she was satisfied, the Queen sat back and picked up her teacup again. “You can go, Briar, my love. Rest well. You need to be up early to start your combat training.” 

Briar tilted her head with a little half bow. “Yes, your majesty. Goodnight.”

Turning to watch Briar leave (albeit a bit hesitantly), her long braid caught an invisible wind as she left in a clatter of reddish armor. Raven was suddenly aware that she was alone. Alone in Wonderland. Alone in the Queen’s chambers. Alone with someone who could end her life at a moment's notice. 

“She is something, isn’t she?” 

Turning back to address Lizzie, the red queen was unbothered by her awkwardness. “Pardon, um…your majesty?” 

“My champion,” the Queen confirmed, her laugh airy as she stirred her cup. “Handsome, hmm? Strong and silent. A true warrior suited to Wonderland.”  

“I suppose.” 

“Are you close?” 

“With Briar?” Raven arched her brow, then remembered where she was and fell her head. “Kinda, but not really. We’ve talked, but only just.” 

“I’m not in a beheading mood if that’s what you’re worried about,” Lizzie chuffed, picking up a cookie from her tray and taking a delicate bite. “It’s been a trying evening for all. Please, come sit. Have a cup of tea. There’s a conversation to be had.” 

Crossing the space from door to chair, a monkey pulled it back, allowing Raven more space to sit. She did so, if not carefully. Raven hated having to walk on eggshells; she had to tip-toe around her mom all the time as a kid; quite frankly it was exhausting. But she recalled Briar’s words in the scullery and refused to make herself a target for the new Queen’s ire. Blinking as a cup of tea was shoved into her hands by the same monkey who pulled back her chair, Raven awkwardly accepted a splash of milk and a spoon of sugar, just to satiate his need to serve her. 

“Raven, was it?” Lizzie asked, catching her attention as she cradled the new warmth in her pale hands. Raven swallowed hard and tilted her head. 

“Yes, your majesty.” 

“I didn’t know the Dark One had a child,” the girl stated honestly, her face serene and unchanging as Raven furrowed her brows. “I want to know more about you.” 

“The…the ‘Dark One’, your majesty?” 

“The wicked witch who came here and nearly destroyed all of Wonderland,” Lizzie noted, her voice cold as steel. That certainly sounded like mom. “Name’s hold power here, Raven. Much more than they do in Ever After. The Dark One nearly brought destruction to my home, therefore she is undeserving of a name. Hopefully you have enough mind to avoid the same mistake.” 

“I’m not like my mom,” Raven blurted out at once, immediately biting her tongue as Lizzie’s brow arched curiously. “I mean…um…” 

“Speak your mind, girl. I haven’t the time for weak blithering,” Lizzie noted, setting down her teacup again as she elegantly folded a leg under her gown. “Speak clearly and with purpose. You obviously haven’t come to grovel for your life, so spit it out.” 

“I just wanted to know.” 

“Know what, exactly?” 

“About…about what she did? About what my mother did to be banished from Wonderland.” 

“You don’t know?” Lizzie seemed unmoved by her words, resting the flats of her hands against her bent knee. “Highly unbelievable.” 

“Mom always told me that the Queen of Hearts betrayed her, not the other way around,” Raven admitted, wincing a little as Lizzie physically bristled. “I mean no offense, but I just wanted to know the truth, and I wasn’t ever going to find it in Ever After. My mom said she and Queen Andesine were friends. That she expected to find mercy in Wonderland.” 

“They were acquainted once upon a time,” Lizzie told her, running a palm across her jaw in thought. “But that friendship was nothing but ashes by the time the Dark One brought her poison to Wonderland. It’s impossible to say what happened between them to make it so.” 

“So what happened?” 

“The Dark One came through an old, unsanctioned passage. She was not invited nor welcome in our world in the first place. Her dark magic poisoned the land with every step she took, and by the time she made it to the palace, the damage had already been done. It took years to regrow what had died. My mother refused such a creature sanctuary, no doubt in part due to their…well…distaste of one another. In exchange the Dark One cast a spell. A spell that made it so my mother is no longer here.” 

“I…I’m so sorry,” Raven dropped her head, feeling the weight of her own question suddenly resting on her shoulders. “I didn’t know.” 

“You are of the Dark One’s blood, meaning you have as much capability to destroy Wonderland as she did,” Lizzie snapped, her nails rolling against the arm of her chair. “And yet you came willingly with my guard and now converse with me without nary a qualm. ‘Not like your mother’ indeed.” 

“I am not proud of my heritage,” Raven admitted, setting down her teacup without bothering to take a sip. “I’ve brought shame to my story. My destiny is to be evil, but I don’t ever feel evil enough. I just can’t do it.” 

“Evil is not inherent, Raven,” Lizzie pointed out. “Evil is taught. The Ever Queen has ensured the seed of doubt was planted in you, as has the Dark One in your youth. Yet you are still…different…than both. And that says much about your character.” Raven glanced up as the Queen of Hearts stood, causing every animal in the room to stop. A pale hand reached out, grasping Raven’s cheek in long, cherry claws. The feeling of their sharp points caused Raven to shiver, and suddenly she wondered what Briar felt, having Lizzie so close to her. “You have not learned the lessons that Ever After has forced upon on you.” 

“No.” Raven was embarrassed by her awkward choke. “I’ve never been bad enough to fulfill my destiny. Mother always said so. Queen Snow White has always said so.” 

“It’s shameful that Snow White has made you believe that goodness is something to be ashamed of,” Lizzie croaked, her thumb caressing Raven’s cheekbone. “Open your eyes. My champion is wise beyond her years; if she trusts you as a friend, then so do I. Now tell me, what is it you’re truly after? Why did you call upon my guards to fetch you from that tower?” 

“I…I don’t know.” 

“You don’t know? I think you do.” Lizzie knelt down so they were eye to eye. “Do you have the same magic as the Dark One?” Raven hesitated before nodding, gasping a little as Lizzie took her hand, forcing open the fingers and tracing the lines of her palm. “Unlike in Ever After, which has been stifled beyond repair, Wonderland is full of magic. It runs through our veins as easily as blood. You could be more powerful here than anywhere else in the realms.” 

“You’d let me stay? Even after all that my mother has done here?” Raven was surprised, knowing now that her mother was certainly not a friend to Wonderland or Queen Andesine, who she’d cursed and eventually killed. Raven wished she could deny it–wished she could claim her mother would never do such a thing–but it simply wasn’t true. The small shred of love Raven had for the woman was surrounded by suffocating darkness. She would poison anyone in her path, friend or foe, if it meant success in her exploits. The Evil Queen was truly a legacy she lived up to, no matter how Raven tried to twist it. 

She wasn’t expecting Lizzie to openly allow her a place in Wonderland after that. 

“I am not unreasonable,” Lizzie chuckled, twirling a piece of Raven’s dark hair around her finger. “However, there would be a price to my kindness.” 

Raven swallowed hard, nervousness creeping back into her throat. “What kind of price?” 

“Your magic,” Lizzie said, causing Raven to stiffen. She should’ve expected that. “It would be of much use to my court; an advantage unlike Wonderland has ever seen. You’d be a grand sorceress; a position which hasn’t been occupied since my grandmother sat on the throne.” 

“But I’d be a token of the Queen, right?” 

“Of course. But you would have your freedoms. Access to as many potions and texts as you could ever dream of, your own suite, tutors, protection and meals. All you have to do is pledge your allegiance to Wonderland against the White Queen.” 

“That includes going to war?” 

Lizzie was silent for a beat, her face very still. She exhaled a little, tapping her nails faintly. She didn’t seem irritated at the question, but it was seemingly enough to give her pause. 

“Raven, I think you’ve been given the wrong impression of me,” she said after a moment, tilting Raven’s head up a little so they were staring directly at one another. “You don’t like the cards you’ve been dealt. Briar is much the same. I understand. I can offer you a way to break the chains Snow White has forced upon you. You can have your freedom here, but we must take down these tyrants first.” 

“You offer me freedom, yet I’d have to wear your colors,” Raven retorted, though she kept her venom back as Lizzie’s lip twitched into a smile. 

“Hmm, you remind me of my Champion. So full of fire yet no place to direct it. I’ll make a deal with you, Raven. Pledge your magic to my court, and when it’s all said and done, you’re free to leave Wonderland.” 

Raven blinked in shock, her jaw opening a little. “What?” 

“I only want what’s best for my people; I’ll do whatever it takes. On my honor as Queen—when this threat is no more–should you wish to leave Wonderland, you can.” 

“Just like that?” 

“Just like that,” Lizzie replied, sitting back on her heels. “I am not the villain here, Raven. But the world isn’t fair, and hard decisions must be made. I can’t guarantee your safety, but should you serve me well, you will be justly rewarded. You can repent for your mother’s mistakes and become respected here, and perhaps, respected in Ever After too.” The Queen smiled again, rising back to a standing position and smoothing the folds of her gown. “I’ll leave you a night to decide…” 

“No.” Raven found herself at the edge of her seat, bent knee bouncing with barely withheld energy and nerves. Was this the right choice? Was it really so simple? “I’ll do it.” 

“Oh?” Lizzie glanced over her shoulder and arched her brow. “You’re so willing to leave the place that raised you?” 

“The woman who raised me is evil,” Raven insisted. “My mother is dead, I have no loyalty to Snow White.” 

“Not even to the daughter of the Ever Queen who is now a prisoner here?” 

Raven furrowed her brows, but lowered them in frustration. Apple had done nothing but lead her on ever since they were kids. She was too poisoned by her mother’s teachings to change. “No. Apple means nothing to me.” 

“Very well. I promise Raven, you won’t regret aligning with my court.” Raven inhaled deeply as Lizzie reached out her hand again, caressing her cheek and teasing a loose lock of hair. “Truly a feather so dark and lovely. You will make an excellent addition to my court.”