As Told by Raven

My previous Ever After High story failed before it got started, and after going over the numerous stories I think I know why: Chariclo Arganthone Cupid isn't a leading character so not many people read stories with her as a central character. That and 'The Great Scarier Reef' hasn't reached so many people yet.

This story is my version of Raven's Tale. Although I might slip to another character occasionally for most parts it would be told from Raven's perspective and not the Narrator's.

Chapter 0 – Legacy Day

It was the morning of the new school year at Ever After High. Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, woke up feeling increasingly grumpier. It was the second year of High School for her, meaning that this year is Legacy Year. Raven mumbled under her breath careful not to mutter a curse.

For someone who was supposed to be evil, Raven's room hardly had anything evil in it other than the spell book left behind by her mother, and the history book of her story. For Raven the story was a truly gruesome tale. Sure it has been revised a few times since the original, but it is still a gruesome tale. The original Evil Queen was one sick witch, no two ways about it.

Raven got dressed and went down for her last breakfast for a year with her father, the Good King. The breakfast was as delicious as ever and one that Raven would savor until they meet again at the end of the year.

"Tarrant and Madeline would be here soon to pick you up. Remember that no matter what you choose this year, it doesn't change the fact that you are my good witch." The Good King smiled at Raven before kissing her head and leaving for his duties.

Raven returned to her room and with a snap of her fingers her meager belongings folded themselves and floated into her awaiting trunk. Sure she was the daughter of a king and they weren't wanting for money, but Raven only possesses what she need, with a few luxuries that carry sentimental value.

Her jewelry box contains a ring-bracelet gifted to her by Cerise Hood, the ring side is made from a petrified flower that was sprayed with an ever-last spray and the bracelet was stainless steel, but Raven let people believe what they wanted. There is a chain necklace gifted to her by Cedar Wood. The crown she wears was a birthday gift from Maddie, it is made from melted down silver teaspoons. Tarrant Hatter made it himself in a moment of sanity. In his words: "Everyone wears a hat. Even a queen wears a hat. A fancy hat called a crown."

Using magic Raven floated her trunk down the stairs and to the front entrance. She just opened the door when the Mad Hatters arrived. Loading her trunk they were off making small talk as they went along. Raven didn't want to bring up her insecurities in front of the Tarrant, so she kept quiet about that.

They arrived at the Village of Book End and the two girls made their way up to the school while Tarrant opened the Haberdashery and Tea Shoppe. As they walked over the bridge Maddie suddenly stopped and spoke at the sky.

"Would you two stop fighting?" she said, before muttering, "Peas and Crackers!"

"Uh, Maddie who are you talking to?" Raven asked hoping her friend only got an unknown skill instead of going around another bend.

"The Narrators," Maddie said confidently. "Oh you can't hear them only I can."

"Oh, okay," Maddie giggled slightly, "Can I speak now?" Maddie nodded. "It's just that I am so sick of everyone thinking I'm so evil just because my mom's evil. It's just not fair." Raven expelled a burst of dark magic sending her trunk to the room she and Maddie would share.

"You're such a worry flurry. No one thinks you're evil." The unmentioned no one important thinks that was left unsaid. However the students fleeing the halls spoke a different story. "See everyone loves you." Or Maddie could just be ignorant.

Just then Maddie's watch rang signifying tea time. Raven smiled at her friend and walked to the castleteria instead. Raven sat alone at a table with a pick of fries and a juice, come the next day she would be forced to eat from the Evil Queen menu, oh joy. Just when Raven finished her meal a dark haired, chiseled chinned, hipster prince walked up to her.

"Raven you look gort. Gorgeous, I don't even know what gort is. Um can I sit here?" he was geekishly charming. Raven spared him a smile

"I am 'Evil' to sit here you would have to be pretty –" just then Apple White and Daring Charming walked down the stairs making Raven pause. Gathering her wits she continued her thought, " – daring."

"No it's me Dex, Dexter Charming. Daring is my –" Dexter winced, "– brother." Raven wanted to say she was just completing her thought but the two came at their table.

"Raven, how's every enchanted thing?" Raven rolled her eyes at Apple White.

"Apple White, still over perky," Raven thought the last part, "Good to see you."

"Don't stare at the teeth, I just had them whitened." Daring said and to proof a point he smiled in the directions of the Billy goats. The bell rang saving Raven some quality time with Apple.

"Oh there goes the bell, time for Good Kingdom Management. Raven, what is your next class?" Raven arched her brow and took out her schedule.

"History of Evil Spells?" Raven read, 'Seriously, sigh.'

"That is so perfect for you." Apple giggled, but before Raven could retort Cerise walked by. Daring flashed his teeth causing her to drop her tray and growl, almost giving away her secret. Raven knew about it forever after, but until Cerise was ready to say so, Raven would keep the secret to herself.

"I got a cold, sorry gotta run." Cerise said before running away.

"Well we best not linger around, Raven let me walk you to your turn-off." Apple said hooking her arm around Raven's much to her dismay.

Because of their schedules Maddie and Raven didn't see each other for the rest of the day. When Maddie didn't wait at the stairs for Raven she figured that she might already be in their room. So she took the stairs up to the third floor and headed for their room. The polite thing to do was to knock, so Raven did.

"Maddie are you in there?" the door moved in from the light rapping on it. So Raven opened the door just to freeze in shock, for it wasn't Maddie standing at the window, but Apple 'too perky' White.

"Welcome home Roomie!" Apple practically chirped in excitement.

"Good one Apple, but I am rooming with Maddie this year." Raven gave her best smile.

"Not anymore –" Raven tuned out the rest as much as she could, more destiny talk.

"The prince wakes you with a kiss, blah-blah-blah-yadda-yadda, so?"

"Anyway, I asked Headmaster Grimm if we could be roomies and he said yes. Isn't that enchanting?"

"But – anything but this – but." Raven stammered.

"Oh you are gonna love rooming with me. I'm thoughtful and beautiful, and I sing the most wonderful songs about woodland creatures." Apple rubbed her hands together doing princess magic to make music start to play out of nowhere. Raven tuned the song out.

"Move along, move along nothing to see here." Raven shooed the doves and stood by the window.

"Oh, oh and I already decorated your side of the room." Apple said catching Raven off guard. "There's your new evil haunted mirror, evil crown and evil thrown. I knew you would love it."

"This is going to be a long year." Raven said to herself dragging the 'long' out a bit.

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"When your magical key appears you insert it gently then stand shoulders back and declare your destiny to the world." They were at the rehearsals for Legacy Day and Headmaster Grimm was instructing them, "Any Questions?"

"Headmaster Grimm I –" Raven started but was rudely interrupted.

"No Questions, good. We will practice with this tiny manual of incredibly reasonable school rules." Only the book was twice as large as the Billy goats. When it was placed on it, it shook the rather sturdy podium, if that was a tiny manual than Raven didn't wanna see the small manual of bylaws.

Maddie was as cheerful as ever when she announced her destiny. Predictably she asked for some form of tea. Hunter however never got to finish his destiny announcement since his pet squirrel interrupted him. Cedar was beginning to question her destiny already. Then it was Raven's turn.

"I, Raven Queen –" Raven started but then remembered her original question. "I have a question. What happens if I don't want to pledge my destiny?" there were gasps all around. "What, it is just a question?"

"And here is your answer. If you don't pledge your destiny, your story ceases to exist." Headmaster Grimm was so close that Raven could smell the dragon egg omelet on his breath.

"And what will happen to me?" Raven asked unsure.

"You would cease to exist, poof!" Raven arched her brow, usually when someone over explains something they either don't know the full truth or they are lying through their teeth.

"I have to go." Raven didn't leave room for argument as she ran from the podium and into the enchanted forest.

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Not having to decide their selective courses yet, Raven enjoyed her time in the normal classes the next day. There were a lot of whispers going through the halls since Raven's departure. A big surprise was when Hunter Huntsman gave her a warm smile. It wasn't until the end of the second period, Muse-sic, that Raven's actions would come into play.

"Mr. Piper, could you show us that melody again, please." Kitty was seated next to Raven, her cello neatly packed up next to Raven's violin.

"Kitty, you know what happens when –" Raven couldn't finish the thought before Mr. Piper played a note and every rat in the school pounced on him.

"Oh rats, I forgot." Kitty played innocent before she shimmered out of the class, her Cheshire smile making the portrait behind them look like David Bowie for a few moments.

"Raven Queen, please report to Baba Yaga's office." The intercom sounded.

"Me?" Raven asked surprised.

"Yes you," the intercom replied. Raven pouted.

Raven took the walk to the lower regions of the castle. She had no idea why she would be summoned by her Home Evil-nomics teacher. It didn't occur to Raven at the time that she might be the School's councilor too.

"Madam Yaga, is everything – Oh, I see." This wasn't anything she did, it was a makeshift intervention set up by none other than the Headmaster.

"Raven, as the student councilor, I am tasked with meeting with the –" it was clear Baba Yaga didn't want to utter the next words so Headmaster Grimm chimed in.

"Troubled students."

"What? I'm not troubled."

"Please take a seat. We are here to get you back on the right path, um, wrong path. I'll let your friends explain." Baba Yaga said floating to the side.

Raven's so called friends were Apple, Briar, Maddie and for some odd reason Lizzie Hearts. Apple was more like a tolerable roommate. Briar throws the most hexcellent parties and always invites Raven, so a distant friend at best. Lizzie was merely a girl Raven met a few times. Maddie was her only friend in the room.

"Raven," Apple was the first to speak, "Remember that time you spilled everlasting ink on my new ball gown?"

"Hey that was an accident and I apologized like a million times." Raven interrupted remembering that instance in their first year.

"That's just it. You're evil. You're not supposed to be sorry." Apple whined.

"But I don't –" Raven tried.

"You are here to listen." Raven huffed and plopped down on the chair. "Briar, do you want to go next?"

"Listen everyone; I just set up a bungee jumping platform on the east –" Briar was interrupted before she could continue. Raven smiled internally, Briar could lighten the mood any time she wanted.

"Maddie,"

"I think Raven is tea-rific just the way she is." Maddie turned to Headmaster Grimm. "You didn't tell me we were here to hassle Raven, you said we were having a tea party."

"I lied. We haven't heard from Lizzie Hearts yet." Headmaster Grimm steered the conversation away. Raven could see the next sentence coming a mile away.

"Off with her head." That was when the chatter erupted.

"Enough!" Raven screamed when her magic peaked around her. Her magic did that when agitated. The concentrated beam of magic hit the Headmaster turning into the chicken he was. Raven didn't stick around to see if the spell wore off.

The rest of the day was uneventful. Headmaster Grimm stayed a chicken until the final bell rang. With all the stares Raven became overwhelmed so when the final bell rang she escaped the castle to the Village. She could go to the Mad Hatter's Haberdashery and Tea Shoppe. However the madness in that shop could also be overwhelming. She settled on Hocus Latte instead. Raven didn't pay attention where she sat while enjoyed her order.

"So Cerise how was your day?" Raven was seated on one of the three chairs around the central tree in the café.

"Interesting to say the least, Ramona," Cerise answered, Raven could hear the smile in her voice.

"Does this have anything to do with Raven Queen being called to the office and turning the headmaster into a chicken?" Ramona Badwolf barked in laughter.

"Hey she's always been kind to me, we may be sisters, but I consider Raven a part of the pack." Cerise defended.

"I didn't mean to offend you." Ramona said. "In fact she is the type of person I would like to get to know intimately. Speaking of, do you know her scent?"

"Ramona!" Cerise sounded scandalized. "I don't go around sniffing my friends. I am supposed to be Red Riding Hood."

"Fine I'll ask dad, she does have General Villainy with him." Ramona burst out laughing. "I wish we sat at the same table, so I could see your face right now."

It was at that time that Raven realized they were speaking in barely a whisper. The only reason she was able to hear them was because of the excess magic that still heightened her senses. Raven released it into a small vortex to stir her latte.

When the secret wolf sisters stood up they walked pass her. When they reached the door Ramona took a look around the shop and noticed Raven stirring her drink. She gave a wink to Cerise and made her way to Raven.

"You're Raven Queen, right?" Ramona asked. Cerise pulled her hood over her face and left the shop. "You're cuter than I thought you would be. I'm Ramona, Ramona Badwolf."

"Yeah I'm Raven Queen, hello." Raven took the offered hand and shook it. Having a quick thought Raven continued. "Aren't you related to Mr. Badwolf? The first time we met he actually sniffed me. This seems oddly out of place compared to that."

That was technically true, when they entered the class room in the first year. He went from table to table sniffing them. He also added that it was to get a more accurate roll call, but Raven didn't mention that.

"Yeah dad doesn't have a lick of dignity when it comes to that. I normally get permission from a cute girl first." Raven blushed she didn't consider herself cute at all.

"Sure." Raven stuttered out. Ramona winked at Raven and took a deep sniff.

"Mm, cinnamon and cherry. That just became my new favorite scent. See you around, Cutie." Ramona winked again and was out the door.

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This is just a little teaser chapter. It will only be done after Legacy day.