A/N: Many thanks to everyone who has been so kind and supportive of this story. *hugs*

Disclaimer: I do not own Ever After or Doctor Who. *Some lines below are borrowed from the movie Ever After. Credit for those lines belong to their respective writers.*

"My tale is done. There runs a mouse; whoever catches her may make a great, great cap out of her fur."
― Jacob Grimm, Grimm's Fairy Stories

Upon returning to the castle (and being properly chastised for arriving back so late by Captain Simmonds) Jamie really did attempt to get some sleep, but found the effort to be useless. His mind couldn't stop racing as he thought about the day and evening he'd spent with the Comtesse Andrea Prentice and all they had discussed. She challenged him in a way he'd never been challenged before. She questioned him and and encouraged him and it was such a refreshing change. He found himself desperately wanting to prove himself to her, to be the man worthy her affections. As the first rays of sun began peeking through the window, the perfect idea came to him. Paying no mind to the actual time of morning, Jamie raced to his parents room and flung open the curtains surrounding their bed.

His mother blinked up at him in sleepy surprise. "You have got to be kidding me," she grumbled.

"I have news!" the Prince preened.

"Sean, wake up. Our son has something to tell us."

"Whaisit?" the King slurred.

Jamie grinned brightly. "Mother, Father, I want to build a university with the largest library on the continent where anyone can study no matter they're station."

His father frowned in confusion, still not fully awake. "Uhhh, okay."

"Oh, and I want to invite the gypsies to the ball!" he added. "They're really wonderful people once you get to know them!"

When he backed away and closed the curtain he heard his father mumble, "I can't remember the last time he was so enthused about something."

"Neither can I," his mother agreed.

With a skip in his step, Jamie made his way back to his chambers so he could prepare for his trip to the ruins of Arcadia to hopefully see Andrea once more. He had rather exciting news to share with her!

"Rose Marion, what in the world happened to you yesterday!?"

Rose cringed at Sarah Jane's harsh whisper. She had just entered the kitchen, though she knew breakfast had been long over, after only a few hours of sleep. Once home from her adventure with Prince James (Jamie he had requested), she'd carefully snuck back into the house and went straight to her bed in the attic. She had hoped that she would fall straight to sleep, but found the task near impossible with the events of the day and night swimming through her head. Most especially thoughts of the kisses she had shared with Jamie. She knew it was wrong, there could never be anything between them, but how she wished it would. She'd done the very thing she swore to herself wouldn't happen. She'd fallen in love. Just as she opened her mouth to answer the older woman, she was cut off.

"Never mind. It's probably best I don't know, but you should know your step-mother is in fine form," Sarah Jane warned. "When she asked of your whereabouts this morning I told her you'd got yourself lost and were now feeling ill from the experience. I don't think she believed me, but it's best you stick to it."

"I'm sorry," Rose apologised, her head bowed in embarrassment.

"Oh, sweetheart. I was just worried about you. Still am to be honest. You really should try to avoid her ladyship today."

"I will. How was breakfast? Did you and Gwen manage well without me?"

Sarah Jane rolled her eyes. "Oh, we were fine. Lynda was sent in here to help."

"Lynda?! Why in the world would she be sent to help with breakfast?" she asked.

"When I told them about you feeling ill, Reinette demanded to know what would be done about their breakfast. Before I could explain that Gwen and I could handle it just fine, Lynda came to your defense and said they should be more worried about you. Cassandra didn't take that too well, and said if she was so worried then she should help with your morning duties," the older woman explained. "Bless, the poor thing could barely boil water."

Guilt flooded Rose. This was all her fault. Not only did her pseudo family have to lie for her, but poor Lynda was punished because of her actions as well. This only proved to her that whatever was going on between her and Prince James needed to end. This afternoon she would, for the last time, don her courtier disguise and sneak away to the ruins of Arcadia. There she would tell the Prince that she could no longer spend time with him.

Suddenly, Gwen came racing into the kitchen, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Rose! You need to get upstairs, quick!"

Knowing Gwen wasn't one for dramatics, Rose immediately ran out of the kitchen and up the back staircase. Making her way down the hall, she stopped in the doorway of the room her step-family was currently occupying. Her heart stuttered as she took in the site of Cassandra holding Rose's mother's dress up to Reinette, the matching bejeweled shoes, sitting by her feet.

Hearing her entrance, Cassandra looked up and smirked. "Oh, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence."

"What do you think you're doing?" she questioned.

"Trying on my dress," Reinette answered, a small smile gracing her face.

Cassandra shook her head. "You don't honestly think that after you just disappeared yesterday that I'd let you go anywhere, let alone the ball? You silly, silly girl."

Rose let out a humourless chuckle. "Do you really think these games and intrigues you play are going to get you the crown? To get you the Prince? To hunt royalty like a sport is disgusting and the last way to win his heart."

"Who said anything about winning his heart?" Reinette cooed, running her hands down the gown being held to her. "You're just jealous."

"The last thing I am is jealous of you."

"Yet, I'm the one going to the ball. Don't you think this ensemble will be stunning on me?"

She stepped forward and picked up the shoes sitting at Reinette's feet. "These are my mother's!"

Reinette nodded. "Yes, and she's dead."

Later, Rose would barely be able to recall exactly what came over her. It was like a wave of red washed over her and she couldn't think clearly. One second her hand was at her side and the next she had made a fist and was swinging at her step-sister. Before she could blink, Reinette was flying backwards over the bed, scrambling to her feet and running out of the room, Rose hot on her trail. She was vaguely aware of Lynda shouting for someone to do something, while Cassandra tried her best to keep up with her eldest daughter and step-daughter. Rose paid them no mind. She had one thought in her head as she ran through her house, the house she had grown up in. Get Reinette.

The wave of red melted away as Reinette stopped in the kitchen, pushing past the other servants, and grabbed the book Rose had left on the mantle. Holding it over the fire she shouted, "Get away from me, so help me God!"

Rose stopped in her tracks, gasping for breath when she realised the book was her treasured copy of Bad Wolf. "No, Reinette, don't! Please! Put it down!"

"Give me the shoes!"

"Put the book down!"

Having finally caught up, Cassandra entered the kitchen slowly. Taking in the scene before her, she said, "Consider carefully, Rose. Your father's book or your mother's shoes, though neither will save you from a sound lashing!"

Rose looked around the room, her gaze landing on Sarah Jane and Gwen. Both woman looked torn and unable to provide her with an answer or solution. Rose had no memories of her mother. The dowry that she'd left behind was her only connection to her. But the book... Bad Wolf was the last book her father had brought her. The last book her father had read to her. So many nights Rose would stay up reading Bad Wolf, letting the words and memories of her father's voice wash over her. With a heavy a heart, and a silent apology to her departed mother, Rose handed the shoes over to Cassandra.

Just as she moved to grab the book from her step-sister, Reinette tossed it into the fire.

"No!" Rose screamed, lunging for the fire.

An hour later and Cassandra had made good on her promise of a sound lashing. After stopping her from reaching in the fire for her father's book, Cassandra had pulled Rose outside, with orders to the others to leave them be. Rhys, bless him, had tried to stop the Baroness, but his efforts only resulted in a lashing for him as well. Rose couldn't even find the will to try and fight back or protect herself has the whip laced across her bare back. The pain she felt in her heart was much, much worse. She didn't even notice the discomfort from her lacerations until later, after she had been sent back to her bed in the attic and Lynda was tending her wounds. She was curious why it was Lynda there and not Gwen or Sarah Jane, but her young step-sister had quietly informed her that Cassandra and Reinette had been off to court for the day and had insisted the others join them.

"You really brought this upon yourself, you know," the younger girl mused as she carefully washed the blood from Rose's back.

"What do you mean? she asked, sucking in a sharp breath of pain

"First, with you just off and disappearing yesterday and then that horrid display downstairs..."

"I don't know what came over me. Just seeing her with my mother's possessions, treating them like her own. I lost it."

"Of course, I shall never forget the way Reinette's feet went over her head like that." Both girls giggled at the memory before the throbbing Rose was feeling sobered them up. Running a hand down her arm, Lynda whispered, "She should not have said that about your mother."

Rose turned her head so she could see her. "Thank you. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that my actions gave affected you so."

"Yes, well." She shrugged. "I've grown accustomed to my mother and sister's disdain for me. I know I'm not as beautiful or refined as Reinette."

"You're not Reinette, but don't you dare think you're not as beautiful or refined as her. You are gorgeous and sweet and you deserve so much more than you think. You are your own person and that's brilliant."

Lynda began twirling her hair nervously. "Do you really think so?"

"I really do," Rose confirmed.

"I wish I could be as brave as you."

Rose shook her head. "I'm not brave."

The young girl nodded vehemently. "Yes, you are! Losing your mother and father, dealing with the way my mother and sister treat you... The way even I've treated you. And yet you're still here and surviving. I could never-"

"You could," she told her. "You could if you had to." Wincing, Rose carefully pulled herself up into a sitting position. "Lynda, I need to ask a favor of you and for your own innocence, should your mother and sister find out, I need you to not ask me why or what I'm doing."

Her step-sister thought for a moment before saying, "Just tell me one thing. Is what you're doing dangerous?"

"Only for my heart."

It had been over three hours and the Comtesse had yet to make an appearance at the ruins of Arcadia. Several reasons for her absence ran through his head, varying in degrees of ridiculousness. He knew it could be something as simple as she had duties to attend to and could not slip away, to the idea that perhaps she had been attacked on her way to the ruins. Though the gypsies had sworn their safety in the woods from now on, his heart was racing. He certainly hoped her reason for not coming wasn't because she didn't want to. She hadn't seemed opposed for this new found intimacy last night, but he knew the light of day may have shed a different perspective on things. Just as he was considering packing his things and perhaps stopping by her family's home, she slowly entered the ruins.

"Hello," Jamie greeted to get her attention.

She slowly turned, her back stiff. "Hello," she returned, her voice wavering with emotion.

Hopping to his feet, he quickly moved to stand before her, frowning when he realised her eyes were red, as if she had been crying. "Are you well?" he asked.

Andrea shook her head. "I fear that I am not myself today."

"I feel as if my skin is the only thing keeping me from going everywhere at once. Like I'm clinging to the skin of this tiny little world and if I let go..."

"Jamie, there is something I must tell you."

"And I you. Oh, and before I forget, I have a present for you," he said, pulling a small book out of his back pocket. "I realise you already have a copy of Bad Wolf, a much loved copy, but I thought perhaps a second would be appreciated since your first is so beloved."

A small sob escaped her as she took the book and clutched it to her chest. "Your Highness-"

"Jamie," he corrected.

"I cannot stay long, but I had to see you. There is much to say. So much to explain."

He held out a hand to her. "Before you do, come with me. There is something I'd like to show you." Leading her outside, he began showing her the grounds around the ruins. He pulled her into his favourite spot, where the trees were growing through the room. "I used to play here as a boy. It was my father's most cherished retreat before the war, before the fall of Arcadia."

She clutched his hand tightly, taking in the sights. "It's beautiful."

"I've measured my life by these trees, starting here," he pointed to the ground, "and all the way up there. And still they grow. So much life to live, but I no longer imagine it alone. Life, I have found, is better with two."

The Comtesse took a shuddering breath. "You're not making this easy."

"I have not slept for fear I would wake to find all this a dream. Do you know, I think I've found my purpose. It's a project actually inspired by you and I feel the most wonderful freedom," he confessed, resting his forehead against hers.

"It wasn't me," she whispered. "It was all you. Always you."

Jamie traced a finger down her cheek. "Oh, Andrea, you are unlike any courtier, any person, I have ever met. Tomorrow at the masqued ball I shall make it known to the world."

She clutched his hand tightly. "Why did you have to be so fantastic?"

He smiled, but offered no answer. "What was it you wanted to tell me?"

Andrea took a step away from him, but kept her hand in his. "Simply that... Last night, was the happiest night of my life. And I... I love you."

"Quite right too," he exhaled, tugging her into his arms and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. Wrapping his arms around her back, he was surprised when Andrea yelped in pain, scurrying away from him in the process. "Andrea?"

"This was a mistake. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but I must go." Lifting her skirts, the Comtesse raced out of the ruins, ignoring the Prince's cries of protest.