Author's Note: A quick oneshot regarding the Lizzie/Daring pairing and Lizzie's character as a whole. Comments and other feedback appreciated!

Written July 18th, 2015.

Heartfelt Royalty

It was just a dance, Lizzie told herself. It hadn't meant anything. Besides, she'd told Daring that their relationship should be private, secretive. And then she'd never bothered to go out with him again. He could hardly be blamed for turning to someone else. Especially a girl as wonderful and similar to him as Cerise Hood.

Both were charming, athletic, good-looking, and Cerise was a rebel – perfectly willing to be out in public with Daring without fear of what others would think of her.

So really, Lizzie had no reason to be jealous. No reason to be upset with Daring or at Cerise over Thronecoming. But she did, regardless of logic, and the pain of that jealousy burned in her chest like over-steeped tea.

Sitting in the window seat of her room – knees tucked up to her chest and chin resting on them – Lizzie watched the students of Ever After milling about the courtyard outside. It was a warm spring day, the kind that reminded her of Wonderland and her mother, but Lizzie wanted nothing to do with it. Too many conflicting feelings bounced topsy-turvy around her skull, leaving her homesick and nauseated.

In Wonderland, no one would say no to the Queen of Hearts. In Wonderland, she could marry whomever she wanted (so long as she was Mad). In Wonderland, once she was queen, no one would dare question her ever again.

But Wonderland didn't have her Ever After friends. And Wonderland didn't have Daring Charming. And Wonderland was tainted and broken and Lizzie was here. Cut off from her mother and cut off from her family and she missed home like an illness. Like an ache that never quite went away.

Lizzie Hearts curled herself into a ball against the window and closed her eyes against her own negativity. But the feeling wouldn't fade. Ever After wasn't Wonderland, as much as she wanted it to be; but Wonderland wasn't Ever After either. And did she really want to leave her friends? Or was it just the heartbreak homesickness talking?

Daring Charming prided himself on understanding the women he dated. He also prided himself on his ability to spot a couple, so as to avoid unfortunate mishaps regarding flirting with girls who already had boyfriends or girlfriends. While he wasn't so good with avoiding girls who weren't interested, he tended to get the clue eventually (and that's usually when he broke out the apology cupcakes and disappeared into the sunset, teeth gleaming and head held high).

But despite all these things, Daring Charming simply could not understand why half of Ever After was convinced he and Cerise Hood were dating.

Yes, they had danced together at Thronecoming. And yes, they had been hanging out since then. They'd even compared teeth once or twice – his were brighter, hers were cooler – but they were just friends.

Which, now that Daring thought about it, was probably why half of Ever After was convinced they were dating. Since when was he just friends with any girl in Ever After? His friends were guys. They always had been.

Cerise was the exception to that rule, but that didn't mean anything. He didn't have romantic feelings for Cerise. There was another, temperamental, red-based heroine he was interested in – Lizzie Hearts.

Sitting in his dorm room, looking over the others of Ever After from his window and occasionally checking his reflection in a handy mirror, Daring thought back to his date with Lizzie. To flying her around campus on a dragon, to taking her for lattes, to listening to her stories about Wonderland. They had been wonderful stories, even if he hadn't understood half of them, and Lizzie's laughter had made his heart soar.

With a sigh, Daring stood, straightened his crown, and headed out of his dorm. Perhaps lunch would break him out of his recent funk and give him the words to tell Blondie that he wasn't dating Cerise.

In the castleteria, Lizzie Hearts picked at her lunch – some cheesy ravioli in a red sauce – but found she didn't have much of an appetite. Near the door of the cafeteria was Blondie, recording yet another MirrorCast. Even from this distance, and in the noise of the castleteria, Lizzie could hear everything Blondie was saying.

"Today on 'Ever After Couples', I'm going to talk to Daring Charming about his hexcellent relationship with Cerise Hood!" Her voice rose partway to a squeal at the end.

With a snarl, Lizzie flicked a playing card from her hair to her hand and slashed the empty glass next to her in half. It split perfectly, the two halves clattering uselessly to the table. She flicked the card over in her fingers.

"That girl is a few cards short of a full deck," said Lizzie to herself. She flicked the card again, half tempted to toss it at Blondie's locks.

"Tell me about it," said Raven, sitting down across from Lizzie. "You mind?"

Lizzie shook her head.

"You'd think she'd realize they aren't dating. As spelltastic as it would be to see the fallout," continued Raven.

Lizzie paused in her card flicking. "Fallout?" she echoed.

"Break up," said Raven. "They clash too much to stay together ever after, and besides, Daring's a royal." She shrugged. "Then it's…"

"Off with their heads," murmured Lizzie, flicking her card across the table. It sliced Raven's fork cleanly in half. The witch yelped, dropping the fork, but the card turned around and snapped back into Lizzie's hand in an instant. Just barely avoiding Raven.

Picking up the pieces, Raven asked, "How do you do that?"

Lizzie shrugged, ignored the question, and picked up her own fork. "Here," she said, handing it to Raven. "I haven't used it yet."

"Thanks," said Raven. Lizzie nodded and stood, not bothering with her tray as she headed for the exit to the castleteria and right passed Blondie Locks. Without thinking, she flicked her card behind Blondie, lopping off a good three inches of Blondie's hair before the card snapped back into Lizzie's fingers. Then, tucking the card back into her hair, Lizzie disappeared into the hallway.

A moment later, Blondie began to scream. "My hair! My beautiful hair! Who did this?" Lizzie smirked and walked away. Five steps down the hall the smirk fell and her shoulders slumped. A spell would fix Blondie's hair, and it was mean of her to do that. She'd let her anger get the best of her, and that wasn't very royal of her. But what did 'royal' even mean anymore?

Lizzie sighed and leaned against the wall, scrubbing a gloved hand over her heart shaped make-up. She hoped it wouldn't smear.

"Lizzie?" The voice, soft and confused as it was, was instantly recognizable. Lizzie glanced down the hall, already perking as she saw Daring Charming coming down the hallway.

"Daring!" she said, hopping off the wall. She smoothed out her skirt. "What are you doing down here?"

He nodded toward the castleteria doors. "I wanted lunch. Anything good?"

"Not really," said Lizzie, wrinkling her nose. "Ravioli, I think. The chef should have to play croquet for that drivel. And not as a player." She smacked her fist into her hand.

Daring chuckled, shaking his head. "If you find the spell, I'll play a few rounds with a chef-mallet," quipped Daring.

Lizzie smiled and ducked her head. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and stared at the floor awkwardly. Usually the perfectly even tiles were boring to her, like so many of the confusing patterns of Ever After, but today she found herself inexplicably drawn to the tiny square designs.

"Would you… like to go into town?" asked Daring. He rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks pink. "Perhaps get some proper food?" Then he paused, and his next words came out hurried and fumbling. "We don't have to, of course. I know how you feel about your reputation, but I was hoping-"

Lizzie rested a finger over Daring's lips, stopping the stream of nervous words. "I'd love to," she said.

In town, the two stopped by a local sandwich shop, called Sand-Witching, where Daring and Lizzie ordered some sandwiches before ducking over to the Hatter's Tea Shoppe. It wasn't as crowded as usual, what with the preparations for the Spring Unsprung festival going on. The two tucked into a corner booth, nibbling on their sandwiches and enjoying the Mad Special tea of the day.

Maddie popped up at some point, grinning as usual.

"Hi Lizzie!" she said. A teapot balanced on her head. "What are you and Daring doing here?"

Lizzie and Daring exchanged an embarrassed look, each one daring the other to tell Maddie about their date or else come up with a suitable excuse. Before either could manage it, Maddie cocked her head to one side as though she could hear something.

"The narrator says you're on a date," said Maddie. She nodded, rubbing her chin. Lizzie shrugged at Daring, not to excuse her friend's behaviour, but at the ease of which she had learned their secret. To his credit, Daring seemed unmoved. He mostly stirred his tea and smiled at the two women, his crown uncharacteristically crooked.

"Oooooh," said Maddie, in a long-drawn out sound. "It's a secret!" She grinned, bounced back onto the counter on one hand, and winked. "I can keep secrets! Have fun on your date!" And then she was gone, ducking into the back room to do who-knows-what.

Lizzie slumped in her seat. "That was close," she murmured.

Daring chuckled. "So there really are narrators?" he asked, glancing after Maddie.

"I believe so," said Lizzie slowly. "But I believe Maddie and her father are the only ones ever after who can hear them." She frowned. "And perhaps Kitty, but I rather doubt she cares."

Daring propped his head on his chin. "Fascinating," he said. "I wonder what they narrate about us."

Lizzie giggled, her body language relaxing at Daring's positive reaction. She hadn't thought Daring would roll his eyes at Maddie, but it was always nice to know that people liked her best friend. Though, to be truthful, she still hadn't asked Maddie if she was okay with Lizzie calling her that. It was a point of fear for the next Queen of Hearts – and a point of frustration, as she wasn't supposed to fear anything. She should have been able to strike off the heads of her fears. But in Ever After that simply wasn't possible.

"Enough to tell Maddie our secret, I am afraid," said Lizzie after a few moments of comfortable silence.

Daring spread his hands and flashed Lizzie a grin. "I'm alright with that. You?"

Lizzie nodded. "I believe I am." She fiddled with her gloves and smiled at Daring across the table.

"Now," said Daring, leaning forward to look at Lizzie over their lunch. "Why don't you tell me what you've been up to? Certainly such a talented princess as yourself has been up to something spelltacular."

Lizzie thought about it for a moment. She and Ever After High had been at odds since Thronecoming. Tensions between Raven and Apple, then Raven and the Headmaster, and then all three, had thrown off her muse considerably. Her only concession was the Well of Wonder, which kept her inspiration flowing even in the darkest of times.

"I've been working on designs for new clothes," said Lizzie. She leaned back a bit in her chair, stirring her tea. "I was thinking of creating the new cheerhexer uniforms." Daring nodded, a slow grin spreading across his face. Lizzie leaned forward, hands moving with her words. "You see, the old uniforms are incredibly un-hexcellent, and it seems unfair to insist for Hunter to wear a glorified grimmnastics uniform while he cheers alongside our other cheerhexers." She flicked a card back into her fingers and danced it across the back of her hand.

Daring chuckled. "He does look awkward. I'm sure he'd greatly appreciate your concern."

"I certainly hope so. No one should have to dress so dreadfully," she said. "If I can redesign the uniforms, I thought Headmaster Grimm may allow me another free period next semester, which would work well for my current endeavours," added Lizzie.

"Oh? More outfits?" asked Daring, raising his eyebrows.

Lizzie shook her head. She debated telling Daring the truth about what she was up to. About Wonderland and the curse – he knew that part of course – about Alistair and Bunny, about the magic and her destiny and her fear of royal vs rebel and friend vs foe and home vs here. It was a long, long story, one that Lizzie felt exhausted just thinking about.

"Can we take a walk?" asked Lizzie. "It's a bit of a fairy tale."

Daring smiled. "Sure," he said, and he waved for the cheque.

In the Enchanted Forest, Lizzie struggled to find the words to talk to Daring, despite what she said before. It was beautiful here, with the leaves colours that reminded her of Wonderland, and the bugs buzzing around in the bushes. From time to time little animals would appear, and Lizzie caught herself hoping they'd break into song, like Wonderland when she was but a small child.

Daring was patient, for his part. He walked alongside Lizzie on the wide, hard-packed, dirt path, watching the birds and occasionally whistling to them. They'd whistle back the same tune, prompting Lizzie to clap in joy. It was such a spelltacular trick. She thought only princesses could do that!

But after some time, despite their lovely walk and the feeling of their fingers laced together distracting Lizzie, she knew she had to talk.

So they sat on a living wood bench and she took a deep breath.

"The Wonderlanders cannot go home," started Lizzie. "I'm sure you already know that."

Daring nodded. "Yes, the curse."

"Yes, but what you don't know is that the Well of Wonder, the one Ginger, Alistair, and Bunny passed through, is the only well of its kind left. We leave it open to draw magic into Ever After, and use the magic to prevent the curse from spreading," said Lizzie. She took a deep breath. "But each passage through the well makes a person lose their mind a little more. For Wonderlanders, this usually wouldn't be a problem…" She trailed off.

"But?" asked Daring. He rested his hands atop hers in her lap, smiling encouragingly.

"But," said Lizzie. "If a Wonderlander attempts to return to Wonderland, the curse will attack their magic and their story, effectively destroying them." She pulled one hand from beneath Daring's and grabbed at a card in her hair. She danced it across her fingertips and tried not to cry.

"Alistair and Bunny…," said Daring, trailing off.

"They're trapped here," said Lizzie. "And they don't know it yet." She laughed, but it was bitter and hot and edged with tears she refused to let fall. "And I have to tell them."

"Oh, Lizzie," said Daring. He reached up, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind one of her ears.

Lizzie looked away from his soft, blue eyes, and stared at her the card as she flipped it over and over in one hand. "Sometimes," she croaked, "I want to go home so badly I can't think of anything else." The tears blurred her vision. She reached up, rubbing at them with one hand, and was positive she'd smeared her make up in the process.

"I can't imagine," said Daring. His voice was soft enough that Lizzie could only barely make it out. She scooted closer to him, allowing herself to slip into his arms and curl into the crook of his neck.

"Even Maddie doesn't completely understand," murmured Lizzie. "She adores her destiny, and of course she wants to go home. But she believes the curse will be solved. That we will all go home when we graduate."

Daring's hold tightened on her. "You don't." It wasn't a question.

"No," Lizzie said into his shoulder. "I really don't."

Daring stroked her hair. "It is no consolation," he said. "But I will help you in any way I can."

Lizzie leaned back from Daring and stared into his eyes. Her own tears had dried, leaving his face perfectly clear as he watched her watching him. She reached up, brushing at his bangs.

"Actually," she said. "That means a lot to me."

Daring tipped his head to one side. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," said Lizzie quietly. She leaned in, eyes slowly closing as she pressed her lips to Daring's. It was a soft kiss, only lasting a moment, but the world narrowed down to those few seconds. Lizzie's arms tightened around Daring's neck. His tightened around her waist. The heat of his lips on hers spread through her body, igniting her insides and making her feel alive in a way she hadn't in weeks.

She pulled back, eyes fluttering, and smiled at Daring. He smiled back. Then, she saw the smears of red make-up on his face from her own painted on heart, and she snickered.

"Your face," she said in answer at his questioning look. She pulled out a compact and showed him. Daring blinked a few times, tapping at the red paint with his fingertips. Then, he broke into a grin and laughed alongside Lizzie. They leaned in again, resting their foreheads together as they chuckled quietly to each other.

Lizzie played with the hair at the nape of Daring's neck and scooted closer, practically crawling into Daring's lap.

"We should do this again," said Lizzie, smiling at Daring.

"We should," he said.

"Did you mean what you said? About helping me free Wonderland of its curse?" asked Lizzie.

"Yes," said Daring. "I am a Charming of my word, Lizzie. And I don't plan on going anywhere."

"Anywhere?" asked Lizzie, raising a perfectly trim eyebrow.

He nudged their noses together, eyes twinkling. "Except maybe Wonderland," he said. "I'd love to see it myself."

Lizzie giggled, a deep-belly giggle that sent them both shaking on the bench. Hope and joy overlapped together in her heart, leaving Daring a beacon at its centre. She bumped their noses together as well, tucking even closer to Daring. Then, still grinning, she kissed him. And they stayed like that, warm and content, for a little while longer.