What could be said was left unspoken.
What could have been done was left undone by Apple.
What could have been would not be.
What Raven did was make a monumental disaster.
Apple White had always wanted- wanted so very much to be confided in the space of her Forever After, in the walls of her story she was confined to the story as her mother had been, and her grandmother had been, and so on and so forth. You couldn't get hurt in your story, you would exist as the lines on the paper spoke and when all was said and done happily ever after was in your grasp.
Ever since she had tumbled into a well as a small child, the fear of not being safe left her terrified beyond all reason. Unhealthy, an obsession of making it to her destiny defined her as she grew up. But it wasn't just her fear of the unknown and unchosen oath she wanted... if she wasn't the best, nobody would take her serious as the next in line.
She had longed to make her mother proud just as much as she wanted so badly for safe happily ever after. Snow White was a title she aspired to for, dreamed of completing to prove to her mother that she was just as perfect as she could be.
There was always a reminder in her head that she could never live up to her legacy. As she packed her things, she tossed her glasses into her tunk with disdain. Snow White with an imperfection? Unheard of. Unspoken. She needed those to read and sometimes to see dfar distances, but she refused them at every chance. She needed to be perfection.
The best royal in the land.
That was the only way she could be the next best Snow White.
"I'll make you proud." She promised her mother as she boarded the carriage for school. Apple intended to do that, and she wanted so badly for this to be her year where she made her mother admit she was proud of her. Her perfect year was coming, for sure! She stared at the sky as they traveled acrossed the land and felt... unsure, even at her own confidence.
This all shattered when Raven Queen wavered! A decision that she- she wouldn't sign the Storybook of Legends! If she didn't sign Apple White would not be safe. Raven Queen would poof into nothing, and the story of Snow White would crumble into a faded memory because Raven wanted to go off script. It started when they began their legacy year, the year before the last classes at Ever After High.
Headmaster Grimm was worried that Raven would go off script. Her last conversation with her mother left him feeling, uneasy... uneasy as Apple when she saw the look in his eyes. So, he talked to Apple to make sure that they would share a dorm together! Apple agreed, just because Raven would poison her someday didn't mean they couldn't be friends. It was on script, but time before the signing was alright for these things.
She even went out of her way to decorate the room for Raven, adding in the nice touches of evil and dark hues. It contrasted heavily with her light side of the room, but wasn't that how it was supposed to be? Good and evil are always together even when they're against each other. When Raven entered their room, she smiled broadly and said hello.
"Oh, Apple... I thought I was sharing a room with Maddie." Raven held a weak smile in return.
"Surprise! I thought, I mean, Headmaster Grimm believes it will be nice for us to get to know each other , we're roommates this year, can you believe it?" Apple wanted Raven to like her, to know that Apple and she could be just fine and their atory wasn't too bad to live through! "Oh, I decorated the room too. I know you like purple."
A reluctant curl of her lips made Apple feel better. "Um, thanks, Apple." Maybe it wouldn't be too bad!
Unfortunately... The next trouble came with the rehearsal for the ceremony, Raven had the audacity to whisper "What if somebody didn't sign?"
Headmaster Grimm, eyes hard, stared into her and reminded her of your fate if you went against the laws of the land. "You disappear. Poof. Gone forever, Miss Queen. You and your story, and everyone else involved." The air was heavy and nobosy said anything. The ceremony went on, and as soon as it was over Apple rushed after Raven, who was in a hurry to leave the stage.
"Raven, wait!"
Raven stopped, and turned to face Apple. Her posture said she didn't want to talk but that didn't deter Apple. "...What is it, Apple?" Raven spoke, eyes trailing onto the ground. "Raven, you are... going to sign, aren't you?" Her voice wavered as she stared at the daughter of the Evil Queen.
Raven looked back at her, she didn't answer but her face said it all.
When the day came to sign, they dressed into ther ceremonial outfits, and pledged themselves to follow their stories. All was well until Raven walked out onto the stage. Her footsteps radiated through the stadium as she approached the Storybook of Legends. "My name is Raven Queen... daughter of the Evil Queen... and I pledge..." Her voice wavered as the book opened in front of her her.
Apple held her breath.
Nobody moved.
"My own happily ever after, starts now!" Raven Queen shut the Storybook of Legends, hard. Mirrors shattered and the audience gasped. On one side, many shrieked or held onto each other in fear. The other side cried out in cheers and laughter, equally feeling this rebellious flare sent out by Raven's action. That was... selfish beyond belief, she had doomed the fairy tale forever after! Apple stared at Raven, waiting- waiting for the end.
She couldn't breathe. Raven's action was done before Apple had even realize what she had done. "How could you!" Cried Apple in her frantic state, she couldn't handle this! She just could not! She ran and ran for the forest, to find some place where she would not have to deal with the problem at hand.
"Apple, wait!" Called Raven as she outstretched her hand, reaching for the princess who did not want to see her.
Apple was a royal, and she wanted her destiny. Why couldn't Raven understand? Understand the magnitude of her decisions and know that if you didn't follow your story... you could die, disappear forever. She didn't want this! Raven was forcing a choice onto her, onto Daring, onto everyone in their story. Her next biggest fear that ran through her mind as she cried, was daunting.
If she wasn't Snow White then who would she be?
If she wasn't perfect then what was she?
More then anything, if Apple White had no destiny protecting her then she could die, poof, become nothing. She dared not look back at Ever After High when she found a spot to hide in the Enchanted Forest. Apple White needed a moment to be weak, and not a strong princess who some believed her to be.
Apple has her reasons for being the way she is. If you read the novels for the series, you'll begin to understand her, I wouldn't say I agree with her perspective, I sided with Raven when the show started years ago, but when reading the books let me know that Apple had more going on then just wanting happiler ever after. So, thisbshort oneshot fills that idea.