In the castlertia, there were tables for Royals and tables for Rebels. There were also tables for mutual parties; fairy tales loyal to the school darling, Apple White, and fairy tales in question. There were questions of how much did the littlest Bo Peep want to tend to sheep, like her destiny said, or continue a career in magical engineering. She had inherited a staff for field tending and possessed a mind for geometric reasoning. Apple was a brainy, fashionable icon but the shepherd girl wondered if she could do more with her life than what destiny designated.

The girl most certain of her destiny being rewritten was Raven Queen. Unafraid of the chain reaction speaking her mind created, Raven allowed herself to be happy with being new and different. She had a good dozen of friends behind her and one supportive Charming boyfriend at her side.

After reading the hex message from her iMirror, Raven laughed.

"Another picture of the mouse rolling on a thimble?" Prince Dexter asked before chewing on a piece of pickled ginger.

"His name is Earl Grey and it's actually a joke from Cedar." Raven said.

"I like jokes. Can I hear it?" The prince asked, his eye eyes shinning as he smiled.

Raven smiled back but she regretfully explained, "Sorry, sweetie, its kind of personal and requires you to have been at a place and time."

"Oh. That's okay. It'd be like when you didn't understand why seeing Hopper blow on a trumpet was funny-" Dexter began chuckling at the memory.

Let him laugh even if it's immature, Raven thought. She then glimpsed at the Rebel table where her friends sat. It was a quick glance because she didn't want to make Dexter feel guilty about anything. She missed them but she enjoyed the one-on-one time with her prince, time she got frequently because while he avoided her friends and she avoided his family they didn't avoid being together in public.

Their relationship offended many people. Duchess Swan made that clear with a megaphone the previous night. She promised to keep her bitterness to herself after Raven threatened to zap her into permanent swan-hood.

There was also Daring Charming; Dexter's older brother who was just as bitter but not sworn to silence.

"Look at them, fornicating with their eyes. Humiliating the Charming name with every touch of his boney little ex-bro pinky. It burns me to look at him. To look at that iron-cladded temptress of evil suck his soul. She's probably use for her biddy boppity boo. I hate looking at them." The handsome blonde prince stated to his betrothed.

Apple could've pointed out that no one was making him look at them but she knew Daring had his reasons.

"I've tried explaining to Raven she's doing evil wrong, but she just blocks me out. Not even bothering to put up a magic wall anymore." The future queen said, receiving supportive pats from Briar and Blondie.

"Apple, stop fretting your pretty face into early wrinkles, I'll take on the full job of hating Raven for the both of us." The brunette told her bestfriend.

The curly haired princess smiled at her beautiful friend. "Thank you, Briar. Daring, did you hear that? Briar is going to take on the job of hate for us! Such a weight off my puffy shoulders, now we can concentrate on putting the 'happy' back into our happily ever after!"

"Easy for you to say, Apple, you aren't the one with the risk of having nieces and nephews with warts and long noses." The vain young man said with a shudder.

Briar wanted to slap his head for his insensitivity to Apple. The fair-as-snow lipped princess was in a sad shock towards his words.

"Um, Daring, I am at risk since our destiny is to…"

Daring realized he misspoke. "Oh right. Don't worry, our children will be good looking no matter what we do."

Apple smiled and told herself to feel better because Daring cared. Briar showed she cared better, but Daring was her future so she tried to concentrate on him.

Blondie sat on the side, recording all the drama in the notepad of her brain. She wasn't completely detached from the bitterness; she had her own reasons to be annoyed with Dexter. She may not have been a princess but she felt entitled to do what she wanted.

The bear-loving girl stood up and walked toward the Dexen table.

"Dexter Charming," she said, getting the shy prince's attention. "You've become a homewrecker!"

The tiara-wearing boy's shoulders rose in defense but he didn't stop Blondie. His spikey-headband girlfriend stood up and put her hands on their table.

"If this is about Daring's whining, then you can tell him to talk to me cause I'm-"

"I'm not talking about that home, you purple laced thorn, I'm talking about my dorm! When you two came out with this hateful union the best roommate I ever had flew to another dimension! She said she's be back but it's been almost a full week since she even sent me a hex message!" Blondie told them, stomping her heels on the floor.

A wave of guilt hit Dexter and he stared at the bear faces on Blondie's skirt. Raven was about to tell Blondie off when someone in a red hood beat her to it.

"Back off, Blondie." Cerise had a soft voice, but there was something feral in her eyes.

"I'm not scared of talking animals, Cerise." The porridge loving-fiend told the girl who was acting positively beastly.

The Rebel pushed her white bang to the side. "And I'm not afraid to tell everyone your real name and how your hair color is really-"

"You wouldn't dare!" The faux-reporter regretted trading real information with the ghoulish girl.

"Then start on a trek into the woods." Cerise said, folding her arms to her sharp nails wouldn't show. She watched Blondie pout and then stormed off. The pointy-eared girl then felt a hand grab her own, it was done very gently as to not scare her.

"You're unbelievably awesome, Ree-Ree. I am getting you a new basket for that!" Raven told her good friend.

A tiny smile went on Cerise's face; for people who knew her better, it was a very confident one. "Don't mention it, Rae-Rae."

The girls joined hands; it was a mini-version of a hug. Dexter stood up and gave Cerise a full hug. Raven hadn't warned him before that she wasn't a fan of so much contact. It took a large amount of self-control for the Big Bad Wolf's daughter to keep from biting the foolish, but well-meaning prince.

Dexter thought it odd that Cerise smelled more salty and woods-like than girlish. However he remembered most girls he knew before were princesses who owned gallons of perfumes. So despite not being hugged back, the bespectacled boy felt his appreciation went through to her. The twitching eyes taught him not to do it again but Dexter gained more knowledge and respect for his girlfriend's good friend.

"Thank you, Ree-Ree." The prince said, wondering if and when he'd get a nickname like the others in Raven's group.

Raven snapped her fingers. Violet energy encircled the trash on their table and then sent it into the trashcan. As she watched Dexter grab his emerald chopsticks, she saw he was frowning- it was like a dark little cloud was hanging over his eyes. The witch knew he upset about what Blondie said.

It wasn't until a day later Raven brought it up again. The two were standing in a store for glasses and sunglasses. Dexter had a prescription that was updated and sent to him every few months via G-mail (Goose-mail). They were in the shop for laughs and he was enjoying himself until Raven said,

"When was the last time you talked to Cupid?" Raven asked while wearing large round glasses that made her look like an anime character.

Dexter was wearing green horn-rimmed glasses when he responded. "The day after you and I… ya know. I told her, she said she was happy for me and well, we didn't say much else."

"I can't imagine how hard that was." Raven said.

"I didn't ever imagine she was, well, that she considered me and her were... I mean, we were friends and her job is love and dating and all that so I always talked about you and she always listened, and I listened to her but just her nice advice on stuff not that, well, the obvious thing I wish I knew was there." Dexter admitted, wishing he were as eloquent with Raven as he had been with Cupid.

"Am I allowed to ask what you would've done if you knew how she really felt about you?" Raven took off the glasses and played with them in her hand. She was nervous to hear his answer.

"I don't know. Cupid was great, cute and sweet and looked like a pink cloud, felt like one too, except except she wasn't watery. But I never saw her as a girl- I saw her as my friend. I mean, I knew she was a girl, but…"

"I get it Dex. What you guys had was complicated but it was…. good." Raven said, she felt a little sickness in her stomach but her brain told her it was unnecessary.

Girls are so smart, Dexter thought and then said. "You are so great."

"Don't you mean 'gort'?" Raven quipped, trying to make it about her and him again. She was the one that asked about Cupid but she didn't really want to make the topic last.

"Absolutely gort-e-ful. The gorty-est." Dexter said as he kissed her right cheek, then the left, and then the lips.

Raven kissed back and then said. "That wasn't so excruciating after all."

"Yes! Water under the troll bridge." Dexter said, he then pecked her lips and grabbed the sunglasses she'd forgotten on her head. Taking out his golden-thread credit card, Dexter happily estimated how much the nine pairs of glasses would cost plus their tax.

"Oh, and I'm cool with you calling her and saying 'hi' or something like that. I kind of want to apologize for hurting her feelings but I think it'd be easier if you went in first." Raven told him as he put the handful of glasses on the checkout counter.

It was the sincere Raven voice that said the words, but Deter felt a worm grow in his brain hearing her. "Are trying a new level of sarcasm?"

"I'm not being sarcastic, I'm saying I trust you and I'm cool if you see your close friend." Raven said, surprised he sounded dubious.

The worm in his brain continued to squirm, telling him not to believe her. "Your tone says different. And I don't want to push us into her face."

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? That's not what I'm trying to do. You sound like you think I'm lying."

"Raven, if the situation was reversed I would ask you not to see your friend of the opposite gender who posses feelings for you, because like a normal human I'd be jealous and restrictive."

"Well I'm not that kind of girl. Why are you grilling me on this?" If she wasn't careful, the acid in Raven's veins could've escaped from her fingers and melted his face.

"Because I feel like this is a test to see if I'm loyal or not." Dexter didn't stop the words because they felt right.

"Hear me as I say this; I trust you." The witch explained slowly, using her hands to accent the words.

"Really?"

"We're going in circles because that tree looks familiar."

"I'm sorry, but I can't believe you'd be this cool when your first thought seeing us together was we were a couple."

Raven's body let out magical energy that began to lift the glasses off the tables.

"You were holding hands and sharing a moment! It's almost impossible for anyone to believe you weren't in love at that moment!"

"You know what's a moment I can't believe? Seeing you go all goo-goo eyes for my brother just like every other girl in this kingdom!"

The store clerk wanted to ask the couple to stop arguing. A little part of it was because he didn't believe the boy had any ground to accuse the witch. The bigger part was fear of seeing the glasses swirl in a twister.

"It's always back to Daring! You should've written your full name! If Darling was on the scene I might've asked her next!"

"Let's be honest, you'll go for anyone who gives you the littlest bit of attention!"

The words stung and weakened Raven's moral grounds. "You want real honesty? I don't like sushi!"

"You ate the whole plate!" The prince stated, stunned at Raven's cruelty.

"Yes, I ate all twenty four bites of cold, mushy, sand-texture balls of seaweed! I get you like imported food but that doesn't make up for the bland flavor!"

"You looked me in the eye and ate all the ginger with a smile! How I am supposed to believe anything you say when you admit to lying with a smile!"

"Oh get over yourself, you little drama prince!"

….

"And that, ladies, is why we are done." Raven told her friends.

The witch-princess was sitting in the dormroom of Hood& Wood. On Cedar's bed was a beautiful array of trail mix snacks and jerky.

"It was that bad of a fight?" Cedar as patted Raven's shoulder.

The hand was wooden and cold, but Raven still felt great warmth. "Dexter was insane, and not in the lovable Maddie way."

"Did he pull a sword on you?" Cerise asked, imagining an epic battle between Raven and a sword-wielding prince.

"What, no. He's crazy but he only cuts with words, not swords." Raven folded her arms. "I'm not sure he can lift a sword."

"Going for blood, I see. That's not like you." Cerise stated, chewing on a strip of deer.

"I'm just-just so mad! I thought Dexter was the biggest sweetheart but then I wake up and see he's a toad. A spoiled, sheltered, ridiculous toad who needs to clean his glasses because they are too foggy to see the truth!" Raven said, she could see her eyes glowing pink in their mirror's reflection. She didn't enjoy the evil look so she took a breath and tried to calm down.

"Yeah, but Raven…" Red Riding Hood's daughter searched for the right words in her hood.

"You're overreacting and not listening to him." Cedar said, knowing exactly what she wanted to say.

"Me?" Raven asked. She watched Cedar nod, her eyes wide and certain, while Cerise reluctantly nodded in the lightest gesture.

"I literally cannot even try to lie, and while I'm scared of hurting your feelings and seeing the purple flames shoot from your ears, I-"

A plaid sleeve covered Cedar's mouth. "Let me. Raven, people have layers. Underneath their hoods they hide secrets and it's scary for them to imagine showing others. Prince Hipster wishes he was the perfect prince but-"

"But that's not the problem." The girl with the spikes defended herself. "I am fine with Dexter not being as athletic or sly as every other dime-a-dozen prince. His problem is-"

"His problem is that it's not a secret." The cricket-decorated girl interjected. "Dexter is a smart guy but he's insecure."

"I try to reassure him how I think he's actually an awesome boyfriend all the time! Why is everyone saying I did wrong?" Raven didn't feel fire shooting from her ears; she felt bees buzzing in her head.

"Dexter hears you, but I think from the story it sounds like he wants is to see you jealous. " The puppet girl said.

"That is complet- I'm not jealous!"

"Not at all?" Cedar gently asked.

"Not an inch."

"Not even a pinch?" Cerise asked, looking at Raven's stubborn pout.

Raven held onto her pride for a minute longer and then whispered. "The tiniest grain, (voice rises) but I know him, I know- at least I thought he'd never be selfish or stupid like that."

Pinocchio's daughter hated when people got the wrong idea from what she had said. "We defiantly believe Dexter wouldn't cheat on you either! But he still wants you to make a claim on him, he wants to hear you'd -"

"Hear you'd rather zap Cupid into a zucchini before she'd attempt to steal him away." Cerise stated as she curled her paws around to imitate Raven's gestures during spell casting.

Cedar giggled, and both girls were relieved to hear Raven laugh as well. It was light but filled with appreciation for her luck in having hexecellent friends.

In the new morning, Raven decided she and Dexter weren't broken up. The dark princess knew he probably considered them so after she ignored his recent messages. She had considered it for a minute as well, and felt her stomach kick itself repeatedly.

At her locker, Raven held an 'I'm sorry we fought and I missed you' card. Her plan was to tell Dexter she wanted to continuing seeing him as more than a friend.

Raven was about to grab her iMirror and ask him to meet her when a tall figure in a jersey leaned against the locker next to hers.

"Sorry to hear about you and the little-boy-blue-prince breaking up." The tall troll boy from Raven's evilonimics class stated.

"Who told you we did?" The witch asked the creature she shared a bad reputation with- being the children of historically wicked creatures.

"Heard it from the Royal-wannabe." The troll said, eyeing Raven's long white neck through his spikey bangs.

"Tolkien, you aren't the type to listen to Royal gossip." Raven told the teal-skinned boy who often times she could predict the intentions of- in their class, anyway.

"And I didn't think you dated, your evil majesty. I'm giddy to know you do." In his smirk, Raven could see pointy teeth

The witch closed her locker and narrowed her eyes. "Please don't tell me I know where you're going with this."

"I know of this awesome cliff that looks out to a torched field. And you know how well I can mix potions and drinks." The boy said as he pretended to stir in the air with his long, grey-nailed finger.

He was handsome, in an unconventional magical creature way. And he was adaptable to danger and above petty human traits. If it were a week before, maybe- Raven thought as she grabbed her notebooks. Raven was about to politely turn him down before she was interrupted with;

"She's busy for the next hundred years." The bespectacled prince stated, coming form behind Raven and putting his hand on her shoulder.

The purple-haired girl noticed a few fairytales stopped to watch them.

"Raven can speak for herself, Normie." Tolkien said, staring down at the prince-of-too-much-conditioner.

"Yeah, yeah, we all know she's the free-spirited, hot speech-giving Rebel Queen, but I'm talking right now. And I hope you can hear me from up there; Stay. Away. From my. Woman."

Tolkien despised being told what to do by a Royal; mostly because he couldn't punch one out without bringing down all of troll pride.

Raven looked up at the creature, "Tolkien, let's all be friends."

The boy smirked at the 'evil' girl, "See ya, hun." Then walked past the prince, gently bumping his elbow against the prince's shoulder. Raven could hear the other fairy tales whispering around them.

Dexter watched the troll walk away. He then felt a tug on his arm and his feet unbalance as he was pulled away. The prince remembered how to walk and tried to keep up with the stomping Raven

The witch pulled him to the balcony where they usually watched the sunset.

"You've gone insane."

He knew Raven wasn't evil, but her eyes and voice did scare him. "Raven, I-"

"You acted like a macho idiot! And in public! And you wanna know the worse part about it?" The witch asked, tossing her books to the ground.

The wicked princess cupped her hands together. "I loved it."

This statement stopped the prince's timid squinting. "You what?"

"You acting like a jerk! Its horrible but it made me feel special." Raven admitted, her eyes melting like glistening oil.

"oh. Uhh….Does that mean I'm still your Prince Charming?" He asked, taking her hands and begging with his smile.

Raven kissed his nose. "Abso-Ferula- lutely. "

"Oh thank Grim. I missed you, Cuddlebug." Dexter said as he hugged his returned girlfriend.

"It's been less than forty-eight hours, Dexter. I didn't like it." Raven admitted, touching the gold buttons on the jacket. "Oh, and I made you this."

The goth girl bent down to grab the card from inside her notebook. It was decorated very nicely with holographic lighting around the edges and a large black heart in the center.

Dexter opened it and a small cloud of transparent pink popped out. It sang with Raven's voice,

"For better or worst,

I am cursed

To love you forever after."

"You know the last part didn't rhyme." Dexter stated, smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"Oh be quiet. And for the record I do no hate Cupid and think we need to make peace with her." Raven said she put her arms around Dexter's neck.

"But any threat to you and me will be buried alive under nursery rhyme playground." The witch promised as she stared into Dexter's rich blue eyes.

She is so good at being romantical, Dexter thought as they hugged.