Maybe Once upon a time

Part 1

"And you are…?"

Cruella looked up in surprise at the unexpected question, only to find King Arthur's cordial smile in front of her. For a long moment she didn't know what to answer, but then a look around was enough to make a decision – a decision of words, a decision of acts, a decision of identity. She should have never been there in Camelot in the first place, but suddenly, after imprecations and complaints, she was finally seeing that something good could actually come out of it. If Regina could be the Savior, Emma the Dark One and Zelena just a maid, why can't she be someone different too?

"Ella... I am Princess Ella…" she said eventually, trying to put on the most innocent smile she could fake.

And, by the flash of admiration in the man's eyes, she was successful in doing that, in spite of the black clothes and the little reassuring two-coloured hair. However, that was the only positive reaction she received and this was no surprise at all. The Charmings exchanged an astonished look, Regina didn't hide her heavy sigh full of annoyance, Belle hinted an ironic smile and Zelena seemed to start to become a little bit green. But the only thing that actually managed to affect her somehow, was the expression of disapproval and almost disgust that she caught on the former author's face.

Cruella listened to the other brief introductions and then followed in silence the group inside the castle. Normally she would have made some casual snarky comment, but in that moment there was something occupying her mind more than words or the general surrounding. In fact, she couldn't help but glance at Isaac from time to time and, every time she did, she found that same stern look directed to her. It did affected her indeed, but it was hard to say in which way: simple curiosity wasn't enough, anger was definetly too much and hurt wasn't something she could actually understand. Irritation, she decided in the end, and, with that convinction, took advantage of the moment of peace before separating ways to approach him.

"Don't you believe I could be a princess, darling?" she teased in a low voice for only him to hear.

Isaac studied her for a moment, but didn't hesitate more than that to answer. "Maybe once upon a time!" he exclaimed in fact with a small bitter smile.

He quickened his pace, reaching soon Belle and Grumpy and proceeding to walk with them; she remained still for some seconds instead, and only awakened from her confused thoughts when Regina abruptly reclaimed her attention.

Maybe hate wasn't the only thing he was feeling, maybe irritation wasn't the only reason why she was affected.

In spite of her new fake status, the glamour of the castle and the handsome knights she had the chance to see so far, Cruella was anything but thrilled about the upcoming night. She loved to dance, but surely a court dance wasn't what she had in mind; she wasn't really a princess after all and all that sentimentalism was already making her sick. A welcoming ball? It seemed more like a charity ball to her!

With that mood, she spent the afternoon closed in a room with Zelena, until she decided that she had enough of that forced "psychopathic bonding" and decided to go walking around the place. It was unexpectedly a short walk though, since she found a reason of entertainment soon. Listening to the Charmings while trying to convince Regina to join the ball, and then seeing the prince as a dance teacher, was in fact enough to make an amused smirk appear on her lips and, when the music ended, she could not help but clap in a mocking way.

"Oh, how wonderful darling! Are you ready for your debut?" she asked ironically, completely revealing her so far unnoticed presence. "But as far as I heard, there still remains a problem: who will look after your dreadful little son in the meanwhile?" she pointed out then, moving her eyes to the golden couple, while taking a step forward into the room.

Snow and David both frowned for a moment, but it was the woman the first to have a proper reaction, approaching the new arrived with an intimidating demeanor. "Don't you dare think that you could harm my son!"

But Cruella just rolled her eyes. "I wasn't offering to be a baby-sitter, don't worry snowflake! And anyway, there wouldn't have been nothing bad in it, since I sadly can't do any harm anyway…"

The witch's fake innocent expression only made Mary Margaret's fighting mood intensify, but before she could reply, Regina gently grabbed her step-daughter's arm and placed herself between the two women. A big - and therefore scaring – smile appeared on her face, as she turned to look completely at the only actual villain in the room.

"Well, it's nothing you have to think about… Since you are coming to the ball as well!"

Cruella was caught by surprise and she couldn't help but widen her eyes in shock. "What?" she spat, as she was almost getting ready to complain further like a child.

But once again, the former Evil queen was faster and, ignoring completely the question, just snapped her fingers. A purple cloud of magic wrapped the other woman up and after a few seconds it disappeared, revealing a vision that made both the Charmings almost gasp in surprise and Regina smile proudly. As the mirror was allowing herself to see, Cruella was now wearing a sleeveless light blue dress, her two-cloured hair was tied up into an elegant bun and her face covered just with a soft touch of make-up. Maybe it was too princess-like for her taste, but she had to seem like a princess after all and, besides, the diamond earrings and necklace were worth the rest.

"Do I have to teach Princess Ella as well?" David broke the silence, with a teasing hint in the voice.

Cruella looked away from the mirror just the time to glare at him. "Oh no, Prince Chiseled Chin, I already had a teacher, thanks but no thanks!"

She pronounced those words without really thinking and so, unwillingly, she found herself soon lost in her own thoughts - thoughts involving a certain foolish author once again. It was supposed to be a sentence just to make the prince shut up, but instead, now she was reliving in her mind all the memories of a far far night spent dancing for hours in the Murray's club. A heavy sigh escaped her lips, as she noticed, through the murror, an unusual trace of bitterness in her own eyes.

Oh no, irritation wasn't the only reason why Isaac could affect her at all.

Hello authellas, I'm back with a new short multi-chapters fic (it will be only three parts). I had this idea in mind and I just had to write it down... I just wish Isaac and Cru were in season 5 as well!*sigh* Anyway, hope you liked the idea and this first chapter. Reviews are always appreciated:)