Rifiuto: Non Miriena
A/N: This jumps ahead a little... Written: 2015, Found: 2018- Licia
It was quiet for a Saturday afternoon; most students were out shopping or hanging out in the student lounge. The early spring chill brought light sweaters out for an early March afternoon. Cerise and the others were hanging out in the shade of the trees in the common, enjoying the early spring day. At one point, Briar looked up from scrolling through her phone. "Where's Raven?"
The others looked around, but didn't see the young queen. Hunter shifted, as Ashlynn settled between his legs, leaning back against him. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "They weren't at breakfast yesterday either. At least, I didn't see them in the castleteria."
Since their return to the school, neither Raven nor Mika had bothered hiding their relationship; rumors had quickly swirled that there was something going on between the young monarch the school was hosting and the Hero Training professor- rumors of an affair, a marriage, a secret relationship. Rumors started by the Royals, in the hopes of getting the two removed from the school, and only enforced by Raven and Mika themselves, for neither admitted their marriage, though it was evident to whoever caught sight of their hands the matching amethyst, silver and black diamond rings on their fingers- traditional wedding rings when a Palmarneae royal married into the Marberlian royal family, which was rare itself. Oftentimes, the Marberlian royals married into one of other houses- Vispen or Forquniz.
"Maybe they're taking the day to themselves?" Ashlynn suggested as Hunter pressed a kiss to her temple. But before anyone else could speak up, a black car pulled up before the school.
"Who's that?" The others turned, interest now peaked.
"A new student? Maybe someone's parents coming to visit?"
A moment passed, as the others watched; two very familiar figures made their way down the steps of the school, engaged in conversation, and but stopped at the sight of the car. After several minutes, the others stood, joining the gathering crowd of students who gathered around the car. "There's Raven." Cerise nodded towards her, but before they could move to join her, the back passenger door opened and someone stepped out. Raven let out a squeal, hurrying down the steps with a cry.
"Cleo!"
The young prince looked up just in time as the eighteen-year-old queen of Marberly threw herself into his arms. He caught her, stumbling back slightly. "Hey Raven."
"What are you doing here?" She demanded once he released her. Mika joined them, quickly shaking his childhood friend's hand. "You should be in Vispen-"
"It's official business, unfortunately."
"Official?" Mika raised an eyebrow. "What could be official enough for you to come to Ever After High?" He slid an arm around Raven's waist, holding her close.
Cleo rolled his eyes. "Technically, it doesn't have anything to do with Ever After High, but Ever After itself."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
The crown prince cleared his throat. "My parents' treasurers were going through the accounts, and he found some... irregularities in the books. In regards to the trade Vispen is doing with Ever After."
The pair shared a glance. "What type of irregularities, Cleo?" Raven asked, crossing her arms. The crown prince moved closer, so that only Raven and Mika could hear.
"Is there somewhere we can talk privately?"
The couple glanced at each other, before Raven nodded. She turned, only to barely miss colliding with Headmaster Grimm. "May I ask who this is, Your Majesty?"
Raven lifted her chin. "Ah, Headmaster. This is Cleon, Crown Prince of Vispen. He's a dear, dear friend of mine and Professor Mikalos's. He's on business for his parents, and decided to stop by pay us a visit." Grimm raised an eyebrow. "If you'll excuse us; it's been so long, that we'd like some time alone to catch up. I'll make sure he stops by the office and signs the visitor log myself."
And without another word, she grabbed Cleo's hand and linked her arm with Mika's and tugged both men up the steps of the school, leaving the other students looking on. Slowly, the other students returned to their activities, except for Cerise and the others, who hastily followed the trio. Not finding them in the halls, Hunter suggested getting something to eat, and so they headed off to the castleteria, knowing it'd be near deserted on a Saturday- only to find the trio they'd been looking for sitting the far corner.
Once seated, Raven wrapped her hands around her mug, turning the conversation back to the matter at hand. "What exactly is going on, Cleo?"
"It's got to be pretty serious, if your parents sent you." Mika added, sliding his arm over Raven's shoulders. Cleo sighed.
"They didn't send me. I volunteered." Raven's eyebrows rose. "As soon as they realized what was happening, they knew someone had to get in contact with you, Raven. I volunteered to come tell you myself."
"So you finally leave the Seven Kingdoms for the fairy tale world." Mika joked, holding out a hand. "Congrats. You didn't burst into flames or vanish upon setting foot inside. That's an accomplishment in itself." Cleo quickly shook his hand and Raven rolled her eyes.
"You two are impossible, you know that?" Though she was smiling; it was a common joke between the royal children of the Seven Kingdoms that if they set foot in Ever After, they'd either burst into flames or vanish into thin air- since Ever After was a world of 'make believe' and the Seven Kingdoms were 'reality'. The fact that they almost coexisted harmoniously made the joke even darker- fairy tales and reality, living side by side.
"But you love us anyway." Mika replied with a grin. Raven turned, meeting her husband's gaze with a raised eyebrow.
"I love one of you enough to marry you." He chuckled, kissing her soundly and slowly, before resting his forehead to hers for the briefest of moments.
"You two are disgusting, you realize that?" Licking her lips with a blush, Raven turned back to her friend. "Yeah, I'm never marrying, otherwise I'll turn out like you." He nodded to Mika, who smirked.
"You said something about trade?" Cleo opened his mouth to speak when the doors to the castleteria opened, and Raven saw her friends enter. He turned back to Raven and Mika. A moment passed, before Mika stood, taking Raven's hand and helping her up. "Come on, we can go back to my dorm. It's private there. And quiet. Raven soundproofed the room."