Hey, everyone! After months, I've finally finished this chapter. Thank you all for your patience. Hopefully, The gap between chapters won't be as large in the future, but unfortunately, I can't make any promises. I'm sure a lot of you are eager to continue on but PLEASE NOTE that there is a scene in this chapter where a character experiences a panic attack. If this is something that may be triggering to you, I have put the scene in bold so you can skip over it. That said, I hope you enjoy chapter five.

5

Granny Relda's room was under constant surveillance ever since her disappearance. No one except for the Goodfellows, the Grimms, and the Robbins siblings were allowed to enter. So, when Daphne snuck out of her room at dawn to slip underneath her grandmother's covers it was less than a problem.

She couldn't go to bed without shaking ever since the kidnapping. Maybe it was fear that someone would come take her in her sleep. Or maybe it was because knowing that her grandmother had been taken while sleeping and having that similarity was too much for the girl.

The smooth silk sheets warmed her skin. When the girl leaned over, placing her head in the pillow next to her, she wrinkled her nose. A strong, thick waft of Relda's perfume entered her sinuses. It caused her to lift up her head and cough, hoping to get the awful taste of it out of her mouth. Still, it made her smile. It was something that she hoped she could just have back-even for one second. She felt the weight of someone sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Oh you're here," they said.

Daphne sat up to find Henry. "Hello, father,"

She paused. "What brings you here?" the two asked at the same time.

"I need to think," Henry said first.

"I need Granny,"

"I know what you mean, I've been a mess without her."

"Easy for you to say, you ignored her existence for a decade." Henry's daughter responded sharply.

"To protect you and your sister-,"

"And where did that get you? If you hadn't fallen under that sleeping spell, Granny would be gone for good and you wouldn't even know."

"My mother wouldn't even be gone if it weren't for the 'blue wings' and Moth's constant desire to ruin Faerie's lives," he placed his hand on Daphne's shoulder "you aren't mad at me, are you? I can't have both of my girls wishing for the bane of my existence."

"No, I'm not mad at you, Father. Just a little sour that's all." Daphne got up from her grandmother's bed and itched her nose, as it was irritated from the strong perfume smell, and went over to the door. "I'll save you and get the others up myself, but you can handle my uncle."

Henry laughed. "All right, sweetheart."

Daphne walked out of her grandmother's bedroom and out into the corridor. Room by room, she woke each family and friend up. She got to Daniel's room last. She knocked on the door to no response. After a few more tries she walked in.

"Daniel, you have to get up," she said as soon as the door was half-open. After she shut her mouth, she looked at the bed to find it empty. She looked around his room, knocking on the closet and bathroom door to no response. She gave up eventually.

"You better be decent," she shouted before opening his bathroom door. She opened his closet door next and nothing.

She left his bedroom not even realizing that she was shaking. Rachel was the first person she saw.

"Daniel's missing," she blurted, a bit louder than she should've. The others came out of their rooms at the cry. Rachel stood still, like a small rabbit when it sees a human.

"Maybe he went to the library earlier," Veronica suggested.

"I'll go look," Sabrina said before racing off in the opposite direction.

The library brought no trace on Daniel either. Sabrina plopped down on the study table and folded her arms with a huff.

Sabrina felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped. She got out and lightning speed and was prepared to knock out whoever it was, sure it was a captor. To her surprise, it was Puck.

"What are you doing?"

Puck backed away in shock. "Would you mind coming with me somewhere?" He asked, fixing his posture to disguise the fear he had.

"Where,"

"Just...follow me,"

The boy took her hand and lead her out of the castle. He brought her outside to an old shed near the castle gates. He opened it and handed Sabrina a pair of pink insect wings that looked identical to Puck's.

"What are these?" She asked.

"Training wings," he answered.

"Training wings?"

"Young Fae use them when they're learning to fly so they don't damage their own wings. These were mine."

"You didn't break them?"

Puck laughed. "These were my last pair before I stopped using them. I had too many to count."

"How do they work?"

"It's easy, they're almost like clip-on wings. They should bond to your back with a little pixie dust."

Puck took the training wings and faced Sabrina. "May I?" Sabrina turned around awkwardly in response. He placed the wings on the girl's back and pulled a velvet pouch from his back pocket and sprinkled some on the wings.

Sabrina felt a tingling sensation for a moment that contrasted with the warm feeling Puck gave her. Soon after, she could feel the wings as if they were a part of her body.

"What now?" She asked.

"I'll have to teach you how they work. It's pretty simple just think about what you want to do. If you want to fly up, think up, if you wanna fly left, think left, and so on." He demonstrated this by flying upwards, to the left, and then back down.

Sabrina copied him and thought up, and flew up, to her surprise.

"A natural, as I expected." He complimented, causing the blonde to smile nervously. He chuckled in the same tone.

The fae helped Sabrina fully get the hang of flying before they left. Puck took Sabrina's hand and started flying.

"Just in case," he said with a wink.

They lifted up from the ground and flew west.

Faerie looked much smaller than she expected it to be. Even though the central part of Faerie was small, save the castle, the rest of it was a seemingly endless forest. Puck flew her above every inch of his kingdom. Sabrina loved every second she spent with him.

Puck let go of Sabrina's hand and she noticed. She gave him a passive glare and sighed but then continued to follow him when he ignored her. He began to descend from the sky and into an even deeper part of the forest. A large lake rested below them. Sabrina followed Puck with a little trouble and landed on the river bank.

"What is this place?" Sabrina asked.

"I used to come here to get away from my father before I was banished. I figured you would need a place to let your feelings out after everything that's happened."

Wow. Sabrina couldn't help but think.

"Where do I even start,"

"What happened first?"

"Well, for one Rachel's freaking out because her mom is some type of psychopath, we don't even know where to begin our search for Granny or Daniel for that matter, and we're about to go to war. If we hadn't opened that stupid letter-,"

"Hey, it's okay. We'll make it out of this. Everything happens for a reason, we just don't know the reasoning for this yet."

"I just want to get away from all of this. They'd be better without me, I seem to be causing all of the problems. Did you ever think that Moth is doing all of this just to get to me? Because, well, you know. Not to mention my nightmares, or that I don't even remember half of my family history." Sabrina sat down on the edge of the lake. She took off her slippers and dipped her feet in the water.

"You're not a burden. You aren't the problem."

"Easy for you to say, it's not like you had the easiest upbringing ever. I'm sure that's all you got."

Robin sat next to the blonde, a notable distance between them. He copied her actions by taking off his shoes and putting his feet in the lake. He leaned back, digging his palms into the grass to support his body. "If you really were a burden, I don't think I could like you as much as I do."

Sabrina looked over at the boy. He was staring down, almost as if he was embarrassed. Instantly, it was like Sabrina felt lighter. And before she could stop herself, she slid over next to him and turned to meet his eyes. They were inches away from each other now, and she was about to do something that might get her killed.

But maybe, it would be worth it.

She leaned in closer, and their lips touched. He began to kiss her back, taking his hands off of the grass and moving them up to her waist. He began to fall back on the ground but neither seemed to mind. Sabrina put her hand in his hair. She had to pull away breath for a second but kissed him a second time after.

Puck let go. "I wasn't expecting that,"

"Me neither,"

"But I'm glad it happened," they both said.

Sabrina rolled off of the faerie and laid in the grass.

"Mother wants to have a ball before we go to war. Would you consider being my escort?" Puck asked.

"Would you consider kissing me again?"

"Would you consider being my girlfriend?"

Sabrina hesitated."Only if you let me fight."

"Sabrina-,"

She sat up. "If we're going to war and I have something to do with the cause, I'm at least going to fight."

Puck sighed. "If it means that much to you-,"

"It does."

Puck sat up."But it's dangerous."

"I don't care. You're at just as much risk as me, if not more. We should be in this together."

Puck paused for a moment. He didn't want to fight with this girl. "We should head back," he said, deciding it was the best response. He took Sabrina's hand and guided her as they flew out of the forest and back to the castle.

Once they got back to the shed, Puck took Sabrina's training wings off and they started to go back inside.

"Puck, about what you said," Sabrina stopped walking.

"What?"

"I would be honoured to be your girlfriend," she pretend-curtsied and Puck laughed, a mischievous grin appearing on his face. He returned the favour by taking her hand and lightly pecking it.

Titania was there to greet them when they entered.

"Thank heavens you two have returned!" She folded her arms and pursed her lips. "I should make myself clear by saying that I don't want the two of you frolicking around before any serious event again."

Robin and Sabrina turned red and shared a glance.

Titania gasped. "ROBIN GOODFELLOW!" She yelled.

"Didn't think you would land yourself a Grimm girl, big brother." Mustardseed turned a corner and entered the foyer.

"What's going on here?" Sabrina heard her father's voice and a knot formed in her stomach.

"It seems that our eldests were out together."

"Oh, were they?" Henry asked.

"Puck was just showing me around Faerie," Sabrina said.

"And himself, apparently," Mustardseed said quietly, but loud enough for others to hear.

"Were you now?" Henry said. He placed his hands on his hips, looking sassy as ever.

"I can explain-," Sabrina began.

Puck interrupted her. "Well, Hank, it seems as if I'm your daughter's boyfriend now."

Henry turned to his daughter. "You're serious?"

"He's a really good guy-,"

"God, Sabrina, why him?"

"Well, at least I'm dating a boy.." She replied snarkily, arching her right eyebrow and smirking.

Henry rolled his eyes. "Just no frenching."

Puck frowned.

"I mean it," Henry gave the boy a death glare.

"Shall I escort you to your bedroom?" Puck linked arms with Sabrina.

"You shall,"

When they got to Sabrina's hall, Rachel was standing outside of her door. Her lips were pouty, and her eyes were puffy and red. The ginger sniffled.

"I should check on her," Sabrina said.

Puck nodded and pulled away from her, his hand tracing her arm until they were too far apart to touch. Sabrina walked over to her friend.

"How are you holding up?" She asked.

"Barely," Sabrina could tell. Just with those simple words, it almost seemed like Rachel's entire existence was hanging by a thread.

"Let's have another girls' night. I'll get Daphne and Red and we can make tea and cookies."

Rachel sighed. "I'd love that."

Then it's settled. I'll come get you when it's time.

. . .

Sabrina rapped on Rachel's door a few hours later. Rachel let her friend inside and they all sat on the floor, making a circle around the tea, sandwiches, and cookies.

"Okay, I'll start," Daphne said eagerly. "Percy asked me to be his date to the ball!" She squealed with glee.

"He did?" Sabrina remarked with a grin.

Daphne crinkled her nose and nodded.

"Thanks for this," Rachel started, "it feels like we haven't talked in forever. I feel better already."

"Yeah, Sabrina, where have you been lately? You completely disappeared this morning." Red commented.

Sabrina cleared her throat.

"You were seeing someone, weren't you!" Daphne accused based on Sabrina's hesitation.

"I bet it was Puck." Red put her hands on her hips.

"Is that why you two seemed so close earlier?"

Sabrina flushed and laughed, her palms breaking out into a nervous sweat, she figured it was about time that she had spilled the beans to her friends anyway.

"He showed me around Faerie earlier, he brought me to this riverbank that he used to go to a lot, and we may or may not have kissed...a few times."

"So what are you?" Daphne asked with her palm in her mouth. A long time quirk of hers that Sabrina was more than happy to remember was biting on the palm of her hand when she got excited.

"We're courting," she hesitated for a second, "I'm his girlfriend."

"Took long enough," Rachel said, everyone, including Sabrina agreed.

"I don't have a date to the ball." Red realized.

"Me either," Rachel replied.

"at least you have a fiance waiting for you at home. I don't even have a lover." She folded her arms.

"I'm sure he'll come someday." Daphne comforted.

"And anyway," Sabrina stood up and held out her hand for Red to take. "You have a lot more things to worry about than dating."

"Like getting fitted for a ball." Daphne squeaked. She had been gaping at the idea of preparing for such a royal event ever since she found out it was actually happening. Especially since her last chance was interrupted by a murder mystery her family had to solve.

As if on cue, a knock came from the door.

"Come in," Rachel called.

The door opened, revealing a stout maid in her late thirties. She pushed a cart that held various sewing supplies. A green dress was draped over her shoulder.

"Sorry, is this a bad time?" The seamstress asked in a meek voice.

"No, it's all right," Rachel confirmed. She stood up from her spot on the floor, walking over to grab the dress. Taking the dress, she went to the closet to put it on.

While she was changing, the other girls left the room and went to their own fittings.

Rachel started at herself in the mirror with the dress on. It didn't have much shape to it. It looked like a box on her, and yet somehow it fit her too perfectly. It was too long on her short, five foot two, figure. It showed off her belly, which looked larger than she remembered, and the dress being sleeveless made her arms look even larger. She was glad that the dress hid her thighs, which were much too big for her liking.

All confidence had left her as she tried to leave the room. The thought of someone she didn't know getting that close to her body made her sick.

Her breathing started to get heavy. Every breath in and out was short and quick, feeling like she was holding on to air by a thread. She wanted to disappear. She wanted to forget it all.

Rachel curled up by the mirror. She started to cry and felt her throat get tighter. And she sobbed, the sound resembled a choke. She desperately wished that was what would happen instead.

"Miss Rachel?" The maid knocked on the door.

Rachel ignored her. She locked her eyes shut and drowned out everything.

"Miss Rachel, are you well?"

Silence.

"Miss Rachel, I'll have to come in there," The maid tried the door, but found it locked. She left the girl there, leaving to get a spare key.

Rachel didn't move.

. . .

Sabrina's dress was far from pretty. It was gorgeous. The fabric was a blue satin, with subtle vertical stripes running down. The bodice was show-stoppingly simple, with a square neckline and ruffled waterfall sleeves. The skirt swept the floor, but it wasn't large and poofy, which she liked.

She slipped on her shoes—white one-inch block heels with a gold buckle—and went over to fix her hair.

In her entire stay at the Castle of Faerie, Sabrina had yet to sit at the grand, golden vanity in her bedroom. It was centred between her floor to ceiling windows, providing optimal lighting and a gorgeous view. When she sat down, it was nearing golden hour. The sun's rays cast over her face, causing her to squint for a second.

She began fixing her hair by taking out the curlers that had been sitting for the past few hours. Her long yellow blond hair was no longer a frizzy, coily, tangled mess, but a smooth, neat, and still coily picture of elegance. She took a pearl clip from the door and pinned her hair back by two strands.

After her hair was finished, she went over to Daphne's room because by no means would she put makeup on her own. Sabrina rapped on the door, and her sister opened it, welcoming her into her bedroom.

Red was sitting on the bed. Despite the fact that the ball didn't start for another hour, both of the girls were fully ready for their night. Daphne and Red looked equally as beautiful in their gowns.

Daphne's dress was a classic ball gown style, with dark pink silk fabric, and vertical lines of a lighter pink to decorate it. Her shoes were gold, with flowers painted on them, and her hair was styled in Hollywood curls, perfect for any formal occasion.

Red's dress was similar to Sabrinas with similar sleeves and skirt. the only difference being that it was red and the fabric crossed on the bodice. She wore brown shoes and her short brown hair was left natural.

Daphne took charge and grabbed Sabrina's shoulders, walking her over to the vanity. It was identical to Sabrinas, including the location, only it was littered in brushes and makeup.

"Okay let's get this over with," Daphne said.

Sabrina didn't know the first thing about makeup. Her only experience was a few late nights at granny's when she was twelve. She tried to teach herself but looked like a cross between a clown and former mayor Heart. Sabrina decided to sit and relax while Daphne did her makeup, rather than stressing about how she looked or what Puck's reaction to her wearing makeup would be. Soft brushes stroked her cheeks and she closed her eyes, just waiting.

"Now, open,"

Sabrina obeyed and looked at herself in the mirror. Not too heavy but still light enough to cover blemishes and give her more than her natural colour could offer, just as she wanted.

"And that makes it six o' o'clock, we should get going," Daphne said.

The three girls exited the room and headed towards the ballroom, which was said to be right past the library and to the left.

Although marketed as a free, celebratory ball for the king's return, it seemed that only the upper-class Fae made the decision to come. Sabrina felt very out of her element. Never once had she step foot into a ballroom, and she wasn't sure if she would ever want to again after this. Per usual, she slipped to the sidelines and looked around for Rachel, who was still absent. So, she looked for Daphne and Red who seemed to be having a fun enough time dancing like teenagers on their own, much to the shock of everyone else there. Percy was with them watching in disapproval. He had cleaned up very nicely for the event. Not that it was unusual for him to look nice, but the way he looked tonight blew his everyday attire out of the water. Puck, being the guest of honour, wouldn't arrive at the ball until he was considered "fashionably late" and there was no way in hell she would converse with any adults, so she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It had been thirty minutes already, but it felt like hours. Sabrina knew something was very wrong when Percy came up to her.

"Have you seen Rachel?" he asked.

"No," Sabrina whimpered.

Percy's eyes widened and he looked off to the right. "Daniel."

"Daniel?" The blonde turned her head to search for the lost boy.

"No, no, go find her before she's taken." He explained.

Sabrina ran to her friend's room as fast as her body would allow. Every bone in her body ached and trembled. How could she of been so stupid? They were about to go to war after all.

Rachel's bed was empty. Her room was empty. Sabrina raced to the bathroom, which was empty as well. She tried the closet door, but it was locked.

"No, no, no!" She collapsed onto the ground and wept.

"Miss Rachel, Miss Rachel is that you?" The maid barged in. "Oh, Miss Sabrina," she realized.

"What happened to her? Where is she?" The girl demanded quivering.

"I don't know. She didn't come out after trying her dress on. I've been searching for a key for hours." She held up her hand to show the key. Sabrina snatched it without an apology. Her hand was shaking as she tried to unlock the door.

The door made a click, to signal its unlock and the two girls almost tore down the door to get in.

"Oh, my God," Sabrina screamed. She cried again.

Rachel seemed to be lifeless. Her face, the definition of sadness. Her eyes, shut. Her cheeks, stained with tears. Her body, small and huddled in fear.

"Get help," Sabrina screamed. "Get help!" she cried even louder.

The maid followed orders and Sabrina stayed by Rachel's side, hoping, praying, that somehow she would live.

. . .

Red and Daphne were forced into the bathroom by Henry and Veronica. Several detested Fae had come up to the couple several times pointing at the friends and asking with annoyance, "are those your girls?" But, they made the most of it, regardless.

"How long are they gonna lock us in here?" Red asked.

"Probably until all the 'serious' stuff is over. It's sad, though, I was looking for your suitor."

"I find it very unlikely that a suitor would want me. And anyway, you should've seen the way Pinocchio looked at you. He's got the dorkiest smile! You two really are adorable."

Daphne grinned a bit bashfully.

"Uh-oh," Red said.

"What?"

"Just your mascara."

"Is it smudged?"

"A little bit-," Red licked her thumb and wiped under Daphne's eye, cleaning the little bit of makeup that was there, "there, all fixed."

Daphne stared into Red's eyes a little longer. They were both entranced, in the weirdest way possible. Daphne was the first to snap. "Thank you." she blurted, not knowing what else to say. "We should be allowed to go back to the ball now."

They opened the doors and walked down the hall. Something was off about that place, Red felt. Even Daphne, with her constant happy-go-lucky attitude, knew something was either about to or had already happened.

The ball attendants were quiet and in the shadows, whispering. The music was almost mute. And all of their friends looked blue.

"Mother, what's going on." Daphne tugged on her mother's ball skirt like a little girl. Veronica placed an arm around her daughter, pulling the girl in and keeping her away from anything that could harm her.

"Something happened to Rachel." The reply was a whisper yet somehow it felt distant and dazed., like she was listening to her mother's innermost thoughts.

Daphne looked over at the Goodfellows, who seemed to be silently bickering. Though, it was quiet enough in that room to hear every word if you listened.

"Robin, there are some things that have to be done. It doesn't matter the circumstances." Titania ordered firmly.

"Look around, Mother. Everyone knows something's wrong. We should dismiss them." Puck countered.

"I've ruled this kingdom for a thousand years, son. I know what is best."

"Why are we even fighting about this?" Mustardseed cut in. "Rachel could die. Now is not the time to focus on social image, Mother."

"Your father-"

"To Hell with father! You know he didn't do anything right. He didn't care about us and he certainly didn't care about his people."

The crowd gasped and leaned in.

The queen grabbed her youngest's hand and scolded him. "Hold your tongue. People may be listening."

"Let them hear, Mother." He shouted to everyone. "The Goodfellows don't care and never did. They're all just power-hungry bastards!"

A loud chatter broke out. Whispers weren't necessary any longer. Everyone knew what they were hiding.

The noise of secrets being revealed filled the room. Yet in all of that noise, a small crack echoed.

The crack became a tear, and before anyone knew it, the chandelier above came crashing down. Right. Above. The. Goodfellows.

Daphne broke away from her mother and ran in to save the monarchs. She pushed them away, but before she could get out, the fixture landed on top of her and the room went black.

Henry ran around to the center of the room to save his daughter, but as soon as he reached the spot, he crashed into a wall and was thrown back. He knew it wasn't a wall. It was a barrier.

A servant rushed in with a candle, lighting the sconces on the wall. It dimmed the room enough for Henry to see that his daughter had disappeared.

He looked over at Puck, a boy who he despised but knew was good in his heart. They both made a silent agreement.

"We attack at dawn," Henry announced.