Chapter 1: Return of the Prodigal Daughter
Once Upon A Time… There were two children trying to find their way through the world. One believed in following her head, creating the perfect warrior. She never faltered, never succumbing to fear, she was invincible. The other child followed her heart, making her magic all the more powerful, however, she can easily be tempted by the dark; for the most dangerous magic, becomes the most tempting. The children grew up as sisters, raised by the dark fey beneath the hills of Dunbroch. They trained in secret, fought for the good, and protected the weak. No wonder they find themselves in trouble. Stupid children. Surely one of them will make me proud.
A teenage girl around the age of 18 was tied to a chair in the middle of the abandoned warehouse. She had dyed red hair the color of red velvet cupcakes and blue eyes with gold bursts mixed into the blue making her seem like she wasn't human, or wasn't fully human. Her skin was deeply tanned and well-muscled showing years of being outside and training as if she were a Celtic warrior, not that her training helped as her hands were currently tired behind her back with a rope that was giving her serious rope burn. "Are you willing to find someone to give me the money I want, Shadow?" A teenage boy crudely asks the girl while kneeling in front of her while polishing a Damascus Naval Dirk (a long bladed dagger used by the Celts). He had shoulder length black hair and deeply tan skin as if he was Avan Jogia. His chocolate brown eyes glare at the girl, Shadow, with more heartbreak than the hatred the onlooker believed he was feeling. Shadow just looks up at the boy with defiance in her eyes before spitting in his face "I would rather die than give into you, Cet. It's not my fault that you can't handle a little breakup."
The boy, Cet, slaps Shadow across her face leaving a huge red mark on her face. "Well looks like Shadow is going to bruise. You won't get nearly as much money now, jackass," a younger teenage girl says stepping out of the shadows her bright green eyes glowing dangerously. Her long dark brown hair rested half over her shoulder and part of the crossed green fired torches on the back of her black leather jacket with lime green sleeves, "Miss me, Cet?" the girl smirks as Cet turned and glared at her. "Cate. Please tell me that you know a way to get me my money, if you do then I'll let Shadow go," Cet reasons to the young teen stepping towards her while twirling his dagger. Cate just smirks and holds up the phone "Cinderella is willing to pay the ransom…" she begins making Cet smile happily as Shadow complains in the background. "If Shadow and I agree to go to Auradon Prep," Cate smirks before laughing as Shadow groans. Cet walks back over to Shadow and unties her and forces the teen to her feet. Shadow cracks her back and grabs her black leather jacket with a broken glass slipper on the back of it before slipping on the jacket to cover her black, ripped tank top. "I could have dealt with it Caty Cat, I don't need to be saved by my goody two shoes, pumpkin carriage riding, glass slipper wearing mother to save me," Shadow sneers walking over to Cate, who was leaning against a wall flipping through a pocket spell book. Shadow ruffles Cate's hair causing the just turned 14 year old to complain out of annoyance. A limo roars outside the warehouse making Shadow groan, "There goes our freedom."
An Hour Earlier…
"MOM! I know where Cynthia is!" Chad Charming calls out of his bedroom in the Charmings' castle after scrolling through his phone looking at messages. An unknown number had sent Chad a picture of Shadow tied up with the comment of "Cynthia is being held for $10,000 at 1278 Fantasy Way in Dunbroch. She won't be released until someone brings the cash. From, Cynthia's friend (who is not her sidekick despite what the captor thinks)" Cinderella and Prince Charming run into the room as fast as they can almost knocking each other down as they stop. "We need to get to Dunbroch," Chad says grabbing his Auradon Prep jacket and walking out of the room with his parents close behind.
Present Time…
Shadow leads Cate outside while Cate plays with her baby raven Diaval, who had flown onto Cate's shoulder. The limo door opens and Cinderella gets out with a check for $10,000 made out to Cet. The two girls walk over to the limo with Cet behind them, mostly behind Shadow due to being pecked by Diaval when he got too close to Cate. "Cynthia," Cinderella smiles walking towards Shadow before giving her a big hug. "I missed you my little princess," Cinderella whispers into Shadow's ear making the teen gag and Cate to laugh at the reaction.
"So where is my money?" Cet asks crossing his arms trying to look bigger than he actually is, making Cate laugh at him with Diaval cawing along as if he were also laughing. "Shut it runt," Cet growls at Cate a hand on his dagger. Cate narrows her eyes and starts flipping towards a curse that causes unbearable agony in her spell book before Shadow snatches the check from her mother and shoves it towards Cet, who takes it greedily. "Nice doing business with you," he smirks walking off as Cinderella gets the two girls into the limo following closely behind. "Let's get to Auradon Prep, please," Cinderella smiles to the driver. The driver smiles back and begins to drive towards Auradon City, home of Auradon Prep, or hell as Shadow calls it.