Chapter Two: The Rebel
It was ungodly early in the morning, but the birds were singing, and the sun was reflecting into her eyes from Apples side of the room. Raven sighed and pushed her comforter off her body, giving up on getting anymore sleep. She glared at the sparkly jewel that through rainbows all over the room. No matter where Raven moved she couldn't get the bright lights out of her eyes. The only way to do so would have been to suffocate herself under hers pillow or comforter.
So Raven swung her legs out of bed, and stepped into bird poop. She knew it was poop without looking because the windows were open, and Apple had been singing in that morning. So that meant that the flying rats had gotten in again. Really, most of the sensible birds liked Raven. A couple would even come when she sang but doves and pigeons hated Raven, and the feeling was mutual.
Raven quickly went to wash off her feet. There were some rumors that back in her mother's day that the foundation of makeup had been made of bird poop, but Raven found the stuff disgusting and refused to let it stick on her any longer than need be.
When Raven got back to the room, the first thing she saw was her "evil" dress. Raven sighed. Her mother had sent it to her, well, Raven thought it was her mother at least. The Rebel sighed and went for her spell book. While Raven couldn't do any spells that helped others or were in any way were considered good, she could do spells that benefitted herself. The more selfish and destructive, the better. So Raven opened up the old, dusty book. It had notes in almost all of the pages. The book was called The All Encompassing Guide to Hexes and Poisons by Blair Wicca. It was written by the oldest ghost of the land who started out life as a good witch and turned bad her last few years, her mind corroded by the first spell in her book. The book was huge, and Raven had learned to read from it. All the notes inside were Raven's.
Raven was not proud of owning this book. It was bad enough that she was forced to take all classes centered on making her evil and all her school books were evil, but even the book she read the most was evil.
But could not deny that she needed the book. While Raven's mother would never hex or poison Raven's clothes, Raven wasn't sure if her mother would actually remember that today was Legacy Day to send her the dress. While Raven's mother always encouraged her to do what her teachers told her to do, and to not be so sensitive about people not liking her because she was evil, Raven wasn't sure that her mother even knew what kind of school she had sent her daughter to. It seemed like the only reason she had gone to Ever After High was because the Empress of Evil's daughter had been disbarred for refusing to wait to put Briar under a spell until after she finished high school. The two women had the worst rivalry. It got Raven in trouble time and time again.
Still, maybe a servant had reminded the Evil Queen it was an important day for Raven and her mother had a spell between fighting and backstabbing the other evil rulers banished to Poison Village to get the dress. Usually when the Evil Queen had a moment to herself, her mother was too wracked with pain from her feet to remember Raven. Really, sometimes it seemed like fighting all the other evil rulers was what kept her mother's mind off the pain and alive.
So Raven took her dress and hung it in the darkest part of the room when she had gotten it. It would have been best to run these spells during the night, but Raven had wanted to go to Briar's party, and she had returned to her room the same time as Apple. Raven hadn't wanted to do these spells with Apple in the room. Raven's magic had a bad habit of backfiring and targeting Apple in small nasty ways when the future Snow White was in the room.
Raven's stomach growled loudly. She paused in her last spell, and almost got it wrong. Thankfully, everything appeared to be alright. No poisons or malevolent spells worked into the seams of the elaborate dress. Raven sighed. The Headmaster had been giving her a lot of grief over her hesitation to take on her mother's destiny. Perhaps by wearing this dress, Raven would ease his mind.
For the time being, Raven stored away her dress and went to wear something more simple so she could get something to eat without worrying about ruining her dress.
The dress she slipped on wasn't her best, but then again, she would be changing later, and she was starving.
"Hello Raven, are you ready to get something to eat?" asked Mattie, showing up just in the nick of time. Lizzie was with her, looking bored beyond all belief.
"Just let me touch up my makeup," said Raven.
"Oh, silly, you're starving. Here let me help," said Madeline. She clenched her right hand in a fist and then blew. Colorful dust settled on Raven's face and made her sneeze.
Madeline started giggling anew, and Lizzie was looking at her hands like there used to be something in them. Raven had a feeling she had just sneezed it out of existence. Lizzie then looked up, her eyes narrowing at Raven before she looked sharply over at Madeline.
"Off with your head!" Lizzie screeched, pointing at Madeline, who only giggled and grabbed a cup of tea from thin air. Lizzie turned to Raven then and pointed at her. "And you. Fix you're makeup quickly, or I'll have your head chopped off too!"
Raven quickly retreated back to her room. She left the door open for her friends to come in if they wanted and went to her mirror. She sighed and ran her finger against her face. To call what Madeline had put on her face clown makeup would be putting it lightly. It was nice of Lizzie to tell her. Usually it was too hard on Lizzie to concentrate on anything that wasn't her plants or her cards.
Taking off the makeup took time, but thankfully Madeline had visited Raven enough that she knew where Raven stuff was and she actually helped get what Raven needed to get the junk off fast. Then Raven put on a little mascara, blush, purple lipstick, and purple eye shadow.
"Come on Raven. It's already noon, and I'm hungry. Tea time just isn't filling," said Madeline. Raven looked shocked.
"It's already so late?" she asked. Lizzie lost her temper and started shouting about chopping off heads. Madeline just started laughing and following her out.
"You should see her in the morning," whispered Madeline, looking over at Lizzie. "She can be just as distracting and noisy as the narrators. Really, I would have loved to have you as a roommate. Lizzie is crazy-tastic, but she's also very loud, and it's always weird to have two characters from the same story rooming together. It's just so overwhelming. But you know all about that."
"Yeah, I do, but at least you and Lizzie are on the same side... right?" said Raven. Even though Raven had been friends with Madeline all these years, ever since high school started and the crazy blue haired girl was the only one who would talk to her, Raven had never gotten a handle on what happened in the original Wonderland. Raven didn't even understand how it worked there now, though all the characters that came from that village, and even the surrounding towns, were a little crazy.
"Um, well, Wonderland isn't that cut and dry," said Madeline and then she shrugged. "She orders my head cut off, I think, but she orders everyone's head off. I don't think she hates me. It's nothing personal. Actually, it means she's paying attention if she orders me to have my head chopped off."
"Oh," said Raven. Maybe Wonderland was a little crazy, but Raven had always assumed that there was a balance of good and evil there. But now that she thought about it, Raven didn't remember any character who seemed to be just good or evil in Wonderland. The writings describe people who were more of a mix. Like Madeline, Lizzie wasn't supposed to be evil, just really confusing and very rude. At least, that's how Raven understood it.
The cafeteria was crowded. Raven headed over to the top floor with her tray where the rest of seniors ate. Raven sat down with Madeline and Lizzie. Kitty arrived a few seconds later, and Raven wondered if there was some way she could become a part of the Wonderland story. Raven seemed to be slowly becoming friends with everyone but Helena, but seeing as Helena was supposed to be the sane one, Raven could understand.
Still, Apple was conspicuously missing. It would be one thing if the rest of the future Snow White's friends were absent, but Briar was falling asleep over her salad, Blondie was doing an on the go version of her show, and Daring was looking forlorn as Duchess chatted at him. Raven had always found the dynamic between Duchess and Daring fascinating. Daring could be rude in his own oblivious way, but at heart he was a nice enough guy. If there was any proof of that, it was how he treated Duchess. He made it very clear that he wasn't interested in her and constantly turned her down, but he did so gently and without malice, always looking sad to break her heart. She persisted and instead of tearing her down, he still put up with her and kept boundaries.
Actually, it was sort of funny. Daring loved being the center of attention. When Raven was in a slump, she found herself thinking that the only reason he dated Apple was to make sure he was always had the spotlight on him, even if the light was a bit second hand. But no. While Daring was obsessed with himself, but he never seemed to think of any girl with affectionate love but Apple. That didn't mean he wasn't a gentleman to every lady who showed him interest. But he was more affectionate to Apples needs and wants in their relationship.
"Raven Queen, please come to the Headmaster's office," said a drowning voice over the intercom. Raven sighed and grabbed her tray, glad that Madeline wasn't following behind her. While she got rid of the tray, she kept the sandwich. It might not look good and to walk and eat, but wasting food and getting sick because you didn't eat enough was embarrassing. Leading to all sorts of imirrior pictures getting shared through the school.
Raven paused before the Headmaster's door. She finished up her sandwich and smoothed out her dress. She looked down at what she was currently wearing. The dress had a little bit of light pink in it, and there was some white on the lace in the skirt. The Headmaster had become critical of everything she did to the point he critiqued her clothing choice. It wasn't like he didn't act nice to her ever, but he only did that when she dressed or acted wicked in some way. Lace and pink were far from wicked clothing.
Raven hated him. He was trying to manipulate her into being evil, and it was so obvious that it was almost insulting. She hated him for making her feel hatred. Finally Raven swallowed the need to run, steeled her nerves so that no matter what, she would be a good person, and knocked on the door.
"Come in Miss Queen." Raven pushed open the door. The Headmaster was bent over some papers, his eyes and fingers flying over the pages. "I was just wondering if you were ready for tonight. I know you've been having some trouble accepting your role, and I just wanted to check that you were ready to do your part."
"It isn't just about doing my part," said Raven through gritted teeth. She slowly took a long breath in and then let it out. It wouldn't be good if she lost her temper so soon while talking to the Headmaster. "I don't want to be my mother. I think I could be a wonderful person if I was just given the chance."
The Headmaster sighed, putting so much disappointed emphasis in the sigh that Raven just had to roll her eyes. "I see you still are having some problems Raven. I really wish you could have brought up this problem to us before this year. Trying to help you deal with this problem so close to Legacy Day is just... but we won't give up on you. I believe in you Raven. You have an important part in the kingdom, and I am sure that you will live up to your destiny with great results."
"I don't think this is a problem," said Raven carefully. "My wanting my own life is not a problem. Wanting to be a better person than my mother is not wrong. I should want to be a good person. It should be my choice."
The Headmaster sighed again. "I want you to meet the evil representative your village sent to us to make sure we are doing right by their evil prodigies. Here, let me give her a ring. We want to make sure that we are doing everything for our students, and if that means letting in an unsanctioned evil character, than we are welcome to her talking to you and helping you get on the right path."
"You mean the wrong path," said Raven.
"That's the spirit," said the Headmaster and then tapped his mirrorpad a couple of times. "She allowed us to put a tracker on her while she's on school grounds. It looks like she's in the gardens right now heading out toward the gazebo in the woods. I wonder how she got all the way out there."
Raven stood and headed out the door.
"You're heading to see her right?" asked the Headmaster.
"Yes," said Raven with a sigh her hand on the doorknob.
"Great, I am so happy to hear you are taking an active interest in relieving your anxieties about your destiny," said the Headmaster cheerfully. Raven just sighed again and quickly walked out of the room before she did something stupid. At least the Headmaster was intent on getting her to talk to this evil character that he hadn't really looked at her clothing. It was weird to have a guy critique what she wore. Especially when he measured how evil her clothing looked with how evil she was on the inside. It was extraordinarily superficial, and Raven was starting to wonder how the Headmaster had gotten his job.
Raven wandered out into the woods and walked her way down the garden path. She checked her phone and saw that it was almost one thirty. She really needed to start getting ready for Legacy Day and really thinking about what she was going to do. Talking to this evil person was not going to help. No matter what stance the character took.
When Raven reached the gazebo, she spun around once and saw no one. There, she tried to find this person wishing she had thought to ask the Headmaster for a description or name. It wasn't her fault she couldn't find the evil representative. Raven sighed and made to leave when she heard Apple's high pitch giggle. Fear gripped Raven, but she shook her head before turning to see the other girl. Apple would not be stupid enough to hangout around someone who had already done and embraced their evil destiny.
Raven turned and felt the blood drain from her face.
"What are you doing here?" shouted Raven, running to get Apple away from the psychopath. Raven would recognize that fluffy white hair anywhere. Angel might have moved in only a couple of years ago, but she already made her mark on Poison Village.
Angel just smirked evilly at Raven and lifted her pad. Hello Raven. The other teen might be mute, but Angel had a way of getting her contempt across.
"Apple get away from her," said Raven, grabbed Apple's arm and dragging the stupid princess away from the character that had screwed up her own story so badly that she had become the evil character.
"You know each other?" asked Apple. Raven sent her a quick glare, but then it hit her that perhaps Apple was so dense she hadn't realized she was hanging around an evil character.
We're neighbors, wrote Angel. That was thing about Angel. She kept things close to the chest, but once you found out something about her, she admitted it with no hesitation and acted like it wasn't a big deal. No matter what the discovery hinted at.
"What are you doing here Angel? I didn't think they'd let you out of Poison Village after what they found out you did," snapped Raven. There was no way that Angel should be allowed out of the village after what they found out she did to not only her husband but to her twin sons.
Allegedly, Angel wrote with a mocking air. Raven felt her body tensing. She could not believe the nerve of Angel. If anyone deserved to be stuck in an evil town with the Evil Queen it was Angel. Finally Angel pretended to give into Raven's anger. I'm here for the same reason Petal is here for the students pledging their life to a good part in a story. I'm here to make sure that none of the good characters try anything to any of you swearing to be evil.
"Fine, then hang out around the ones of us that are evil. Leave Apple and girls like her alone. She doesn't know your real nature. She doesn't get what evil really is," hissed Raven. Angel suppressed a laugh and Raven felt her blood boil. If there was ever a time when doing an evil act might be considered good, it would be in getting Angel off this earth.
Angel finally nodded in mocking but real surrender. I'll go get ready for tonight then. Angel wrote for Raven. Then Angel very purposefully turned to Apple as she wrote her next message. Now Raven knew Angel was trying to corrupt Apple. It was good to meet you Apple. Thank you for the tour.
"You're welcome," said Apple with a song. "Really Raven, what was that all about?" Raven started to pull the stupid princess away. She could not believe that Apple couldn't see through Angel to the evil inside. Then again, Apple was supposed to be the stupid, perfect heroine who took a poisoned apple from a suspicious old woman.
When they were almost at the castle, Apple got her arm free and stood as if confronting Raven. She really wasn't built to be intimidating. "What is your problem Raven?" Apple stomped her foot on the ground in a tantrum.
"My problem? I wasn't the one showing around a dangerous harpy." Raven found that she was almost shouting at Apple. She tried to reel in her anger. She didn't want to hurt Apple. Apple had just made her so scared.
"She didn't do anything to me Raven. She's just as dangerous as you are," said Apple. Raven felt the evil need to strangle Apple, but it would be pointless to kill Apple right after saving her. Even if by killing her, Raven would be saving the future Snow White from her own stupidity. Raven tried to remind herself that Apple just didn't really understand what it was to be evil. She thought it was little things like breaking a mirror or killing or poisoning characters that never stayed dead. Angel had killed and done evil that had not ended in a greater understanding or any kind of happy ending.
"No, I want to be good. Angel, I can't even begin to describe what she did to her..." said Raven, trying to explain the situation to Apple, but she tripped over and could not make herself say what Angel had done. Poisoning and murder, those things were easy for Raven to swallow. She didn't know how many dead bodies she'd come across as a child, or how many food taster had ended up dead eating her food. But what Angel had done... the mute deserved to be burned at the stake. "You shouldn't be that reckless. Just because you have a happy ending in your story doesn't mean that if you get mixed up with the wrong evil that you won't end up more briefly poisoned. Angel isn't bound by our rules. She didn't have to promise like the rest of us to not do evil while in school."
"Well of course she swore. I met her when she was coming out of the Headmaster's office," said Apple with a roll of her eyes. Raven bit back a scream. Why was her roommate so dense? "And Angel didn't seem that bad."
"You don't know what she did," hissed Raven. "And if you say allegedly I will hurt you. She did it, they just can't prove it."
"What did she do?" asked Apple, obviously getting fed up with Raven just hinting at the problem. Raven understood. It would be easier and clearer if Raven just said. But she still didn't know how to tell Apple. Raven just couldn't force herself to say it. What Angel had done was poisonous and upsetting even thinking about. Raven couldn't believe that the Headmaster let such a dangerous character into their school. What was he thinking?
Then Raven remembered; the evil character in the garden, the Headmaster had hinted he let her in to talk to Raven. That meant that the Headmaster was pressuring Raven to become more like Angel. Raven felt bile rise to the top of her throat and she quickly sprinted away from Apple. Thankfully the princess didn't notice seeing as she was already absorbed with her friends.
A cool hand rubbed Raven's back and held her hair out of her face.
"Thank you Maddie," said Raven. She leaned back and let Maddie help her stand up. Maddie's smile was twisted with worry. Raven forced herself to give Maddie a shakey smile.
"Come on Raven, let's get you freshened up. I've gotten some of our friends together to get ready for Legacy Day tonight," said Maddie, her cheerful soft.
"Who could you possibly have gotten who wanted to get ready with the future Evil Queen?" asked Raven with a roll of her eyes.
"Other evil characters like Icy, Saba, and Blue," said Maddie, ticking off names on her gloves. Raven looked over at her friend in shock. Not believing for a second the thing about 'friends.'
"Blue? I didn't realize she's following in her father's footsteps. Though, I guess, I wouldn't know if it would be worse to marry a guy who killed and kept his wives bodies on hooks as trophies or being the person who did that," said Raven, then covered her mouth. Why would she say something like that? And why was it so easy to say that and not what Angel had done to her family?
"Oh, she's still following in her mother's footsteps. Mostly she's worried about her brother. He just started Ever After High this year," said Maddie. Raven nodded in understanding. It seemed like no matter what she did, she was destined to end up hanging out with evil characters who did horrible things or were at least destined to: which was the same thing really in this school.
"Hey Raven, if you like, I could not follow in my dad's footsteps. It's not like I love tea time," said Maddie, coming to stand in front Raven and looking very supportive and serious. Raven rolled her eyes.
"You love tea time," Raven said, pushing past her friend. She didn't have time for a heart to heart with Madeline. She needed to give herself a wash and then she needed to change into her clothes and hang around the few evil characters that Raven had been avoiding for the last three years. Apple had already slipped away to join her happy group.
"Oh yeah, but I totally want to support you. The negative Nancy's have been invading your mind and the Narrators have been arguing in your head. I can renounce my destiny if you want. Both Lizzie and I are going before you, and Lizzie loves being queen so she won't hear to renounce it. I will be the birthday girl who does renounce it," said Maddie. Raven shook her head.
"Maddie, do you want to renounce your destiny?" asked Raven. Maddie nodded, and then shook her head, and then nodded again, and then smiled like Kitty. "I want you to be true to yourself. I want to be true to myself. The truth is, I can't imagine you being anyone else."
Madeline frowned and put her fists on her hips. "Are you telling me who to be now Headmistress?"
Raven blushed.
"Oh, don't be silly. Yeah, I'm happy with my destiny, now at least. But there's always a part of me that can't help but wonder what it would be like to have hot chocolate, or go crazy and have some coffee, instead of tea. And instead of celebrating unbirthdays, I could celebrate birthdays. That way I could have cakes and cookies instead of scones and cupcakes. Those are completely different things don't you know?" demanded Maddie. Then her clock rang. "Tea time! Finally."
As Maddie took out a tea set including the mini chair and table and started to talk to her little mouse friend. Raven rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile as she went to her room. Madeline had this way of throwing Raven off balance. Raven washed up, the makeup slipping down her face. The shower help calm her down and warm her up.
They made a little party of getting ready. Raven smiled at all the other evil characters, but realized that a couple in the small crowd were neutral characters and that Cedar eventually joined them along with Hunter. Raven let Icy secure her coif to her head, and then helped the future Snow Queen not only fit on her crown, but also secure what looked like ice drops in her black hair.
It was a weird situation. Raven had avoided other evil characters before today. At least at school, and at home as well as possible. Raven hadn't wanted to expose herself to evil characters, and her wish to be better than her mother, tended to alienate her from the rest of them apparently they thought she was 'acting better than them'. That was why Raven had no one to hang out with. That was how Raven had ended up paired with Icy. Icy tended to dress oddly, and at the end of the day look like she'd been through a blizzard despite the fact she had her nose shoved in a book most of the time. Not running around. When Icy had come over to Raven, who had been trying to figure out how to put the coif on, she had sat Raven down and started doing her hair. The only thing Icy said was how to do her hair in exchange.
Now Cedar was helping Raven finish Icy's hair. Icy was staring into nothing, and Hunter had come in now that all the girls were decent. Raven had always wondered what destiny Hunter was following. His father had been a minor part in two stories. He had been commanded to kill Snow White and hadn't been able to, and then he had saved Red Riding Hood from the wolf. Was Hunter expected to be in both stories? Or did he have a sibling who would do the one Hunter didn't?
By the time they needed to head to the cafeteria, they were all ready to go, and Raven wasn't sure what to make of their group. Some of the evil characters embraced their destiny with open arms, but others just didn't seem to care. Like Icy, they were just going through the motions and trying to make the best of it. Still others, like Cedar, had no interest in being their parent's story. Cedar seemed to be having some trouble figuring out how she was supposed to do so many stupid and irresponsible things when she hated doing anything against authority figures and was quick to agree to punishments when she thought she deserved them. She seemed to think that carrying out her doting was a punishment in itself.
The sun was just beginning to set when they were led to the courtyard. It had been remade so that thousands of people packed the area and a huge stage had been erected and four mirrors were floating and ready to catch the expression of the characters as they pledge their lives away. As Raven swore she would commit and evil deed, and because she did, have her feet bound in metal shoes and forced to dance until she died. Though Raven did have her mother to tell her the best ways to keep dancing without it killing her, and the metal would eventually become cool even if the spell to kill of exhaustion would drive her a bit mad.
The students to pledge were lined up in the front rows facing the stage, and they would slowly move forward until it was their turn. Raven watched as person after person swore away their life with a pledge sealed with the turning of a key. Half the class had already gone and not one person seemed to share Raven's misgivings on blindly accepting their destiny. Raven had a little hope when Lizzie went up that something would happen, but Raven should have known better. Lizzie had no misgivings about her destiny.
Finally, it was Apple's turn, and Raven found herself beginning the assent up the steps so she could swear away her future. The crowd went wild, probably over just seeing Apple, and the prospect of what their new queen could mean to them. Raven accepted her key and started her journey to the podium and the book that would seal her fate. She saw Apple happily skipping her way. But then Apple seemed to see something behind Raven and she stood off to the side. Raven glanced quickly behind her and saw that the Headmaster was following her onto the stage.
With the two flanking her, pressuring her to follow her so called destiny, Raven knew she only had one choice. Plus, how would she seize her own destiny? Would she throw her key into the audience? She already had on all the sharp clothes, and when she looked out into the crowd she heard no cheers like Apple had gotten, just felt the fearful stares of everyone she would one day hurt.
"I am Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, and I pledge, I, um..." Raven felt her throat closing up again. To pledge her destiny away to do evil things was as impossible as telling innocent Apple what Angel did that was so terrible. But she had to do something. She had to make a stand one way or the other, and she had to do it now.
"Come on now," she heard Apple say. Raven could just imagine the expression on the future Snow White's face. Apple wanted Raven to try and kill her. Apple wanted to put hot shoes on her feet and send Raven away to live with evil people who would try again and again to kill her. Wasn't that evil? Apple wanted Raven to be like Angel. Raven refused to be another Angel. She wouldn't be able to stand herself if she actually hurt someone. Because people got hurt people did. Maybe not the main characters, but other ones would find their lives ruined and ended on Raven's supposed vanity.
No, Raven refused be that character by choice.
"I..." once she said this, there was no going back.
"I pledge to write my own story and be true to my real self," said Raven and then she turned the key in the lock of the book.
Suddenly Raven found herself covered in purple magic. Raven basked in its warmth, smiling because she suddenly felt free. Yes, this had been the right choice. For a moment she didn't feel like her magic could only do evil deeds and that the future was open to anything. Even if in the next second she turned to dust. Raven would never regret having a taste of freedom. It was worth it.
When the magic had floated away, Raven looked over the crowd. Everyone was looking at her in surprise, and Briar was running up the stairs toward the stage though not to strike or embrace Raven. Raven looked behind her. Maddie was smiling at her softly, but Apple seemed to have crumbled to the ground. Fear crept into Raven for a moment, afraid she had killed Apple with her refusal, but Briar checked her friend and was instantly gripped hard by Apple. The Headmaster looked up from where he was trying to counsel Apple. For a second Raven felt like the Evil Queen she had been told she was destined to be.
Then Raven turned and left the stage, her fists clenched at her side. It was like she couldn't be good. If she followed her mother's footsteps she made everyone miserable and was so evil that she was sentenced to suffer intense pain the rest of her life then she was doing the right thing. But if she rejected her destiny then she was evil because she destroyed Apple's Happily Ever After. It wasn't fair.
No, the expectations others put on her might not be fair, but then again, when had life ever been fair? Raven had been born to the Evil Queen as a sickly child who had little chance of surviving. Her father and stepfather were dead, and Raven's mother only kept her will to live by doing evil things to other evil people. Raven had been burned by her own clothes, had assassins make it all the way to her room before the guards found them, kidnapped, and poisoned. But Raven had lived, and she'd grown up hoping to better herself and help people. She hadn't let her past change who she was on the inside. Why should she let her destiny do it?
Raven hadn't let the evil in her life pervert her. She certainly wasn't going to let supposedly good people force her to be evil either. She had her own destiny to follow, and if characters like Apple really were good people, then they wouldn't need Raven to be evil in order for them to be good. Apple would just have to make her own happy ending. She was going to be queen because her mother was queen, and she was going to get her Prince Charming because she was already unofficially dating him. Maybe she wouldn't have her mother's fairy tale story, but that didn't mean Apple couldn't write her own story. Just like Raven was going to.
"Good job Raven," said Maddie. Raven turned to her friend and then looked up at the podium in shock as Cedar swore to follow her own path. Character after character started to seize their own destinies, repeating Raven's own words. Not everyone, but enough to make Raven feel like, for the first time, that she wasn't alone in the world. Others felt like her.
"Thank you," said Ashlynn quietly. Raven looked at her in shock before nodding to Cedar in understanding. "We're having a party at my room tonight. All us Rebels and those that support us. You'll be there right?"
Raven felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. "Yes."
A thousand times yes. For the first time in years Raven felt like her life was on the right path. She had taken a hold of her life and now she was the writer of her own destiny.