author's note: Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm evil for not updating as quick as I should, but here goes nothing! By the way, I got a bit of help in this chapter from my best friend, XxLynChanxX. She writes for EAH too, so go check her out when you get the chance! :)


Raven let out a restricted gasp, and fell to her knees, looking at the cold, eerily still gravestone implanted into the ground. Tears brimmed her eyes, and she found it painful to read the words carved into the smooth black marble. She couldn't believe that this was true, but the epitaph was the sick, twisted reality.

Here lies The Evil Queen
Narcissa Coraline

Legendary ruler and mother

That was it. No beloved. They didn't even bother to carve in her birth and death dates. Raven felt so many emotions coursing through her veins, but all she could do was cry.

Of course she would be the only one here: her mother and father had divorced only months after Raven was born, and who else would want to mourn the death of the Evil Queen? As far as Raven was concerned, the realms were probably rejoicing. She knew what her mother was like, but that didn't mean anything. The story was that the Evil Queen had gone insane in her mirror prison and cast an suicidal enchantment on herself. Shortly after, the guards found her dead.

But it still wasn't fair. As cruel as her mother had been, Raven cared about her.

She hesitantly reached out, and traced her fingers onto the words. It sent shivers down her spine, and the shocking realization that no amount of magic could bring back the Queen broke Raven's heart yet again. She choked out a breath, and let go of the grave.

This wasn't a funeral. A small crowd of people normally showed up to those - to recognize someone they loved...

...but when there was only one person, it was nothing but a visit.

In her own way, Raven knew that her mother had loved her. Even the Evil Queen had a soft spot for her own daughter - or at least, that's what Raven liked to tell herself. She had always said, someday, she would ask her mother if she ever really cared, but now, there would be no chance to do such a thing. And inside, it was killing her. She knew there was no contacting the dead, or bringing them back, not without extreme consequence.

"Why, Mom?" Raven said, her voice coming out restricted and raspy. "Why couldn't you have just-" She pulled at the grass and sniffled.

There was nothing to say.

With shaky legs, Raven stood back up, and brushed off her funeral dress. She produced a small bouquet of black roses from under her arm, and laid them onto the grave. As far as she was concerned, that was something people did when loved ones died. Made the memorial look nice, perhaps in hopes to let the spirit know they weren't forgotten?

She didn't care. She just did it because it felt right. Maybe wherever her mother was, she would see it, and know her daughter cared.

Raven hadn't been to many memorials, unless pets counted. She didn't really know what to do. Instead, she stood still, let her tears fall, and stared up at the gloomy sky.

The sound of rustling leaves alerted her, and she whipped around, surprised to see a certain someone making their way up the hill. Raven had expected Maddie or Cerise, even Cedar, to show up, but...

"Dex?"

"Um, h-hi, Raven," Dexter said hesitantly, giving a small wave. "I heard about what happened."

"Oh," Raven muttered. "Yeah. I figured."

It was breaking news in every fairytale world: the forever-loathed Evil Queen was finally gone for good, no one had to worry anymore. Still, Raven was surprised to have a guest. She had expected everyone to be partying or gossiping about the story of how the Evil Queen had passed away. If she wasn't so depressed, Raven would have smiled at the fact that she still had a friend.

"Am I, you know, late? For all this, I mean." Dexter indicated the empty gravesite and Raven shook her head, wiping her eyes before meeting Dexter's gaze. She wasn't going to let him see her cry.

"I'm the only one that came. Nobody is mourning her death. They all hated her." Raven heard her voice crack, but Dexter was kind enough to ignore it. She cleared her throat, and scratched the back of her neck nervously. "You… you don't have to be here. You never knew her."

Dexter gave a half-hearted shrug, and took the last few steps up the hill to stand next to Raven. "She was important to you, though, wasn't she?" he asked.

Raven managed a small nod, brushing away a tear that escaped.

The most important thing her mother had taught her: don't cry in front of people.

"Did you, uh, ever have any good memories with her?" he inquired. "Or, was that offensive? I mean, I get she was evil, but-"

"-She was who she was," Raven replied. "I couldn't change her. I loved her, and-" She shrugged. "She was my mom. I could never hate her. She was meant to be evil, and that's what she did. She cared about me, I think." Another uneasy breath slipped past her lips. "I was only a kid when she ended up in mirror prison, so we didn't get that much personal time."

Dexter fell quiet, and nodded, as if he understood, but it was clear he didn't. Then again, Raven didn't expect him to know how she felt. Dexter's parents were both very much alive, and very much loved throughout all the Fairytale worlds. She was also sure that his Mother-Bonding time didn't involve security guards making sure he didn't accidently let the most hated character in all the land escape from a mirror. All the same, she was grateful. He could have been doing anything he wanted. He was admired, respected. He didn't need to be here, pretending to mourn for Raven's sake.

"Didn't she come to Show and Spell day once back in Spellementary School?" Dexter said.

Raven dared to show the smallest smile. "Yeah, and I nearly got kicked out of class," she muttered. "Everyone wanted to meet her, and then when she showed up, kids were hiding under their desks. It was kind of neat when she did that enchantment to make the carpets fly, though. At least she was trying for me back then."

Dexter stared at the gravestone. "Y'know, for an Evil Queen, she had a pretty name," he added.

Raven brushed away another tear. "She named me after my grandmother, actually," she said. "But I always wished I had a name like my mom's when I was younger. Sounded like a real Princess's, y'know?"

Dexter nudged her. "Hey, Raven… erm, whatever your middle name is," He smiled bashfully. "Uh, Raven Queen, it's still pretty either way." He noticed her slight shift in expression, and was glad he managed to make her brighten up on this dark moment in her life.

"Victoria," Raven said. "My middle name. It was my great-grandmother's. The first Evil Queen."

"Raven Victoria," Dexter murmured. He was now tempted to use her full name all of the time... it was better that Dexterous Merlin Charming. She was named after family. He was named after a crazy old wizard who didn't wear underpants (if rumors were to be believed). He cleared his throat, and said the first thing that popped into his head for a subject change: "So you miss her a lot, huh?"

…he put his family name to shame.

Raven nodded slightly. "You know, when people die, you always wish that there was one last thing you could say to them? Or they could say to you?" she mumbled. She sniffled, and didn't care so much about crying in front of him now. He was a friend - more than that. It was ok, she decided. "I… I sort of wish we could both say sorry." She brushed her hair out of her face, and closed her eyes to keep from crying. "Neither of us were perfect. One last apology from each of us, it-" She choked on her words for a moment. "-it might have made me feel a bit better,:

Dexter raised an eyebrow. "Sorry?" he asked. "For what?"

Raven hesitated. "A lot of things," she said softly. "I could say sorry for not being the daughter she wanted. She could apologize for doing all of the things she did. I mean, even after mirror prison, she tried to get me to put curses on people. For hex's sake, she thought the reason I tore my page out of the Storybook of Legends was because I wanted to take over all of the realms, like she did!" Her voice cracked again, and she looked back up to the sky. "I… I could never tell her that I didn't want to be evil. She was so proud of having someone to take her role, I always felt so... inferior to her. I purposely messed up our magic lessons, so I wouldn't have to try and poison a bunny or whatever. She told me power was everything, and love was weakness, and… and I guess that's what makes me doubt her sometimes. If she ever really cared about me. I know there's tough love, but-" She stopped, and fell silent, looking back down to the ground.

Dexter was appalled for a moment. He never figured being a child of a villain could be easy, but Raven was visibly torn. Her points were very true: it was her mother who had died, but someone who had started up so much terror…

He took her hand, and held it. Raven stepped closer, and laid her head on his shoulder. Dexter tried his hardest not to blush, and instead, he tightened his grip ever-so-slightly in a reassuring squeeze. He didn't want to ruin anymore moments, so instead, he stood there with her, in the gloomy afternoon. The cold breeze danced in the air, and the thick grey clouds began setting up the picture for a storm.

"Let's get out of here," Raven muttered. "I'm in enough trouble with Grimm, he'll yell at me again if I show up to my dorm late."

"Y-yeah, ok," Dexter spoke up. He let go of her hand, and coughed nervously. "S-sure."

The two of them made their way back down the hill, and before he even knew it, Dexter found himself putting his two-cents in again.

"You know, I don't think your mom would be disappointed in you," he said. "Y'know, for the whole Legacy Day thing. You started a rebellion. That's not really evil, but- er, I'm not saying you are, it's just, it's something new, you get it? While your mom flipped the script in the bad way, you're doing it for a good reason. She would probably be proud of you if she could see you now."

Raven threatened to show another smile. "Thanks, Dex," she whispered.

Dexter smiled bashfully and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Anytime," he said.

Queen Narcissa, wherever you are, he said to himself as he looked to the dark sky. You better be watching over how amazing your daughter really is...


author's note: *puts down feels gun* Sorry, guys, it had to be done.