Duchess clinched to the wall, trying to hear every syllable.
"Yes, my Queen. But why must we kill Apple? Couldn't you just take over without hurting anyone? Does she have to die?"
"Yes!" Lizzie shrieked. "I no longer have a kingdom to rule over since Wonderland is poisoned. Without a kingdom, I will no longer be a Queen. Your land will do, for now. I will take it over and rule it, then find out how to deal with Wonderland later. Apple needs to be eliminated before she gets in the way. And anyway, we have the perfect person to be blamed."
"Who?" both Daring and Duchess said at the same time. Lizzie smiled. "Raven, of course. Poison Apple and Raven will take the fall for it. Who else would do this? It's in her blood. The only thing is that this poison isn't a curse, it is very deadly. I brought it from Wonderland, where it is a cure. But here, it is very potent. Just a drop on the apple, and our little Apple will be no more." Lizzie smiled maniacally. "And you would do this for me, won't you? After all, I do need a King".
Daring looked up, eager. "Yes, my Queen. I will do whatever it takes to win your love. Whatever it takes."
Daring stood up and took Lizzie's hand, kissing it softly. Lizzie sneered at the gesture. Daring turned and began to walk out the door and Duchess froze, pressing herself against the wall.
"One more thing" Lizzie's voice echoed through the dungeon.
Duchess could hear Daring stop at the frame of the door. "Yes, my Queen?"
"Don't fail me this time. Or your head will be the first off."
Duchess ran. She never looked back until she was in her room with the door locked.
Duchess woke up at dawn, the beautiful sun shining in. Her room faced the sunrise, as she had requested. Pirouette, her pet trumpeter swan, was still nestled in her nest. Duchess sat up and stretched, making sure to stretch her toes the most. A ballerina was always limber. Last night she had had the weirdest dreams, about Raven and Lizzie and Daring and an evil book and ….
On her bedside table was the black bundle.
The book. She had forgotten all about the book. She had thought that she was dreaming, just some odd nightmare. But no, it was true, it was all true. She had to warn Apple!
She dressed quickly, trying to keep her back to the emptiness on the other side of the room. How could Lizzie do this? Not just try to kill Apple and take over the kingdom, but how could she take Daring? Lizzie was the only one who she had ever told about her crush. She loved him, and Lizzie took him! And it wasn't as if she was doing it for love, she wanted Daring to kill Apple! Lizzie was selfish at times, but for her to do this? This was a new degree of selfishness- even for the future Queen of Hearts.
She stood up and straightened her dress, picking the feathers off the trim. How was she supposed to warn Apple about the murder plot? She couldn't just run in and declare it, why would Apple believe that her future husband and king would betray her? And of all the people to come to her, she certainly wouldn't believe Duchess, especially after the announcement yesterday of how she had sabotaged and lied to Lizzie. If anything, she would probably get booted out of the door.
Duchess smiled. That was okay, because there was someone that would believe her. She would go to the person who was supposed to take the fall for the murder.
Raven.
Raven peeked out of the door, eyes squinted and hair ruffled. "Duchess?"
Duchess looked around, making sure no one could overhear her. "Um, …could we talk? Privately?"
Raven scratched her head, confused. "I guess. Are you okay? Do you want to come in and sit?"
Duchess shook her head vigorously. "No," she whispered. "I can't."
Her eyes pleaded with Raven to come with her.
Raven stared at her, unsure. "Are you in trouble, Duchess?"
Duchess shook her head again. "No. You are."
Ravens eyes widened and she opened the door fully, revealing Apple sleeping in her bed. Raven put her finger to her lips, showing not to wake her room mate's slumber. Raven whispered "Give me a moment" and she went to her side of the room, choosing a dark purple robe with black trimming.
Duchess looked at Apple sleeping. She was so pale, she was almost afraid that Daring had been successful. But then Apple took in a deep breath and turned over, facing the wall. Duchess sighed in relief, happy that it wasn't too late. There was still time.
Raven tapped her on the shoulder. "Ready?"
Duchess nodded solemnly. She hoped Raven would believe her. It was the only way.
They walked in silence down the corridor, shadows diminishing as the sun rose higher in the sky. She could hear the chirping and tweeting of birds and alarms as it came time for the rest of Ever After High to wake up. She didn't have much time.
Duchess allowed Raven in first, then closed the door behind her and locked it. Raven turned and crossed her arms. "What is going on, Duchess? I've never seen you act like this?"
No reason to try to sugar coat this, just say it. "Lizzie and Daring are going to murder Apple and let you be blamed!" she said quickly, out of breath.
Raven's eyes widened. "Wait a minute. Lizzie… and Daring… kill Apple? Why? And why would they blame me? How do you know this? Have you touched the book?"
Duchess allowed the tears to fall. There was nothing to hide anymore. "I… I followed Lizzie to the dungeon last night and found them. Lizzie and Daring. Then Lizzie told him he had only one more chance to kill Apple. She said that she would take over Ever After as Queen because Wonderland was poisoned. Then she told Daring that you would be blamed because no one would believe you." She looked into Raven's eyes as they widened in horror.
"And you witnessed all of this?" Raven asked wearily.
"Yes." Duchess said.
Raven shook her head. "But why would Daring do this? He and Apple are supposed to marry and rule Ever After. He's not suppose to kill her. It doesn't make sense….'
"Daring is in love with Lizzie." Duchess blurted.
Raven's hand went to her heart. "In love? How? How could this be?"
The tears fell harder, wet and hot. "It's true. He kissed her hand and called her his Queen. He said that he would do whatever it took to win her love. That includes murdering his future bride in cold blood."
Duchess sat on the end of her lilac silk bed, cupping her head in her hands and allowing the tears to fall freely. There was no need to hide it anymore.
"I love him." Duchess whispered.
"Love who? Daring?" Raven asked. "I knew that. What I am shocked about is that he loves Lizzie. And that he would be willing to kill Apple. Wow."
Duchess wiped her tears away. "How… how did you know?"
Raven smiled. "I know a lot of things. And you stared at him everyday n the castleteria. Kind of gave it away."
Raven sat down next to Duchess. "We can't let this happen. Not only because I will be blamed, which is no surprise, but because of Apple. We can't let them get away with that. One thing is clear, without Apple alive to be future Queen of Ever After, anyone could claim it. Seems like Lizzie has figured this out. How is she planning on carrying this plan out, other than taking advantage of Daring?"
Duchess took in a deep breath. "A poisoned apple."
Raven laughed. "That never stopped Snow White before. How do they think they will succeed that way?"
"Because Lizzie has given him a poison from Wonderland. She said it is a cure there, but here it is very potent and only takes one drop. She said no one would expect it. Daring is going to poison the apple and give it to her. When she dies, they will hunt you down."
Raven nodded. "Very clever. But not clever enough. We have to stop them."
"Do we tell Apple?"
Raven shook her head quickly. "No, she can't know of this. Hopefully, one of us can take care of Apple and make sure she doesn't eat any of her namesake favorite treat, and the other will have to stop Lizzie and Daring."
Duchess's eyes widened. "I will do it. I will stop them."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "How are you going to stop them? Lizzie won't speak to you and Daring doesn't even notice your existence."
Duchess stood, putting her hands on her hips. "Exactly. They will never suspect me. They already have their eye on you, and you need to be with Apple. Apple doesn't like to be around me very much, but she would love to be connected to the hip with someone who plays such an important part of her destiny."
"You mean you will be playing an important part in her destiny."
"Yes, but she doesn't know that yet. No one knows that yet. The important thing is that we need to save her. If she dies, you will be blamed and I will not have a future. If I decide to take the role."
Raven smiled and stood up. "You will, I just know it."
Raven walked to the door and stopped. "I will look after Apple. She will not eat a single apple while I am around, which I am sure will be much to her dismay. If you need any help…" she began to twirl her hand and purple magic swirled in the air, "hex me! Take care, Black Swan".
She winked and stepped out of the door.