Chapter 1 Part 2- Introducing Lily, The Next Frog Princess. Off to Ever After
Anyway, now you know a bit about me back to the present. Me and myrtle now walk the enchanting halls of ever after high as we head to our new lockers. It had been hard to make new friends, arriving halfway through the school year, a lot had happened before we had arrived, the cohort being divided into royals and rebels. And I am terribly shy. I find I get nervous when trying to speak to the other royals, they all look so magnificent and regal. It doesn't help that neither Myrtle or myself have ever been in an environment with this many teenage sons and daughters of fairy tale characters, not even in my mother's lavish balls, and we are struggling to know how to fit in. We are so used to being in only each other's company. We really are joined at the hip. It's hard to want to branch out when I love being together with myrtle. She would be the only company I would ever need, but I have been starstruck by the other royalty here and I really want to be in with the 'in-crowd. It has been a week since we arrived here, and we are still finding our feet. I have just been given my new class schedule, which I take out of my locker and look down at to examine my new subjects I will be taking, which include; Princessology, Damsel-In-Distressing, Crownculus, Science & Sorcery, Herbology, Environmental Magic, Muse-ic, Mythology, Dance Class-ic, Swamp Swimming, and Good Kingdom Management. Having a love of flowers and plants, I was looking forward to herbology, but what excites me the most right now at of all the subjects on my schedule is princessology, as I know all the other destined princesses will be in the class. I tingle with excitement at the thought of meeting the other royals and being part of a class befitting of my destiny. Princessology sounds so ladylike, unlike swamp swimming.
"I'm not very much looking forward to swamp swimming," I say to Myrtle "It's not as if I'll be swimming with the frogs in my destiny, I think they are reaching with that one. But I think you will like it, Myrtle"
"I think swamp swimming sounds so hexciting. I know I'll already be a natural in the water," Myrtle says, winking at me, "At least you have the opportunity to show off your mean harpsichord skills in muse-ic class, and we have herbology together! Want to be lab partners?"
"Obviously. But I'm really looking forward to meeting Apple White and the other Royals. I hope I can fit in with them! What if they think I don't seem royal enough for my destiny? Oh, and I can't wait to see Hopper again, he knows I'm coming, but he's been so busy he hasn't had a chance to message me back. He must be around here somewhere, I just know he must be really popular," I say, looking around the busy hallway filled with a manner of future fairy tale characters and creatures, "I really want to make a good first impression. How do I look?"
I decided to style my light brown hair this morning in a half-up, half-down bun, which I let cascade down my back. Myrtle had added little golden beads to the back of my hair that caught the sunlight and glittered magically as I glide down the corridors. I wore a silk and satin gown in turquoise and green with patterns of botanical foliage to represent the woodlands and ponds of the frog realm. My dress has an empire waist, fashionable with the royals back home, but I had hemmed it above the knee to fit in with the styles the royals wear here at Ever after. I admit the style isn't too convenient to wear as I need to move carefully with the short skirt not to indecently expose myself. Myrtle had the idea of adding extra petticoats underneath the skirt this morning to try and add extra coverage, but it didn't much help. I do, however, have extra volume in my skirt, which looks fay-boulous, much to myrtles credit. I complete the look with a pair of white silk gloves, a golden pearl and lily flower necklace, a spritz of lily perfume and pale pink heels which made light and cheerful tip-tapping sounds as I walk along the marble corridors to class.
I have round hazel doe eye doe eyes which glisten with rich browns and greens, the colours of the earth. My skin is Sunkissed and covered in a light dusting of freckles across my face and collar bones, each freckle I collected from a morning basking in the sunshine lying on the fresh-smelling grass in our gardens. I have soft features, which I highlighted with a dash of pink blush.
"Don't be such a worry wort. You look beautiful, and you know it, besides, not everyone can be as drop-dead gorgeous as me," She teases, playfully flicking her long green hair behind her shoulders. Though she is joking, I can't help but secretly agree. Though I idolise the royals, no one compares to Myrtle in my eyes.
Her green skin is glowing in the golden rays of the daylight and she smells of the sweet scent of the meadows back home in the Frog Kingdom. She wears a pale-yellow silk dress that fits her figure with flowing sleeves that wave about gentle as she moves. Her long luscious green locks fall down her back, and she wears a plaited crown on her head, dotted with yellow flowers. She looks so elegant, but with a playful hint of wild nature magic. I feel myself going into a dreamy daze looking at her as she reaches into her book bag to sort out her textbooks.
"Anyway," Myrtle says, shutting her locker with a firm bang and bringing me back to reality, "Enough worrying about the royals, which we know will love you," Myrtle affirms, shutting me up before I whine about my petty worries again, "This is the first time we have freedom away from the frog kingdom and your mother's rules. We can do whatever we like! we have some free time before our next class begins. Come on, let's do something fun, the whole of Ever After is ours to explore!" She says excitedly with a grin and wrapping her arm around my shoulders.
"You are right," I agree, "oh Myrtle, I can't wait to spend this year with you. This is going to be so much fun! What do you want to do first?"
"Well..." She pauses to think. I watch her for a long moment in anticipation as she ponders our next adventure, until she finally says, after much deliberation, what is this sing, "I don't know, what do you want to do?"
"What? I was sure you going to think of something fun. I have no idea. I've never been to Ever After by myself before"
"Neither have I", Myrtle shrugs. I realise just how inexperienced and starry-eyed we both are, having both spent all our lives in the frog kingdom. Even though I always look up to and follow Myrtle and follow her, I see that she is just as lost and new to all this as I am.
"Let's go into bookend; we've never gotten hocus lattes together before," suggests Myrtle.
"Great idea" I grin and link my arm around hers as we head out the school doors towards bookend, both smiling and chatting happily.
We leave the school and head over the troll bridge. On our glittering heels, we begin to stroll through the cobbled streets of the town of Bookend high. The houses look just like out of a picture book, covered in ivy and plant boxes filled with flowers on the window sills. The air smells sweet with spring flowers and sweet treats from the nearby bakery. I spot a patch of bluebells growing underneath an old oak tree, which I point out to Myrtle. I run down to the flower bed and pick a small bouquet to press into my nature journal so I can record the lovely memory of our first walk in Bookend.
"Look over there, Lily, it's the Fairest Dressmakers and Haberdashery; you should get a new ball gown for the Equinox Ball coming up; I can't wait to attend a ball here," sighs Myrtle dreamily. I look over at a pretty little shop with climbing flowers and a flowing pink ballgown in the window. I smile at myrtle as she drools over the thought of new dresses.
"Of course, you know my parents gave me a huge allowance this semester. It is my destiny to be a spoiled princess after all, and it would be fitting that even my ladies maid is dressed in a royal gown" Myrtle's eyes light up.
"Are you sure? Oh, but I would love to go to a ball in a beautiful dress"
"of course, my allowance is meant to cover both of our expenses you know, it only seems appropriate that we both look fairy fabulous for the ball," I say, holding Myrtles hand in reassurance that I will make sure we both got new dresses for the ball. Myrtle beamed with delight.
"I can't wait," she says as we make our way again down the street, "I'm already picturing the golden yellow dress of my dreams"
"I am too, and you look stunning. I think I want a white dress with layers of floral tulle covered with gold pearls and sparkles," I reply as we enter the coffee shop.
I feel too shy to say our order to the girl behind the counter, but myrtle senses this and goes and orders two hocus lattes with primrose and caramel syrup for us. She collects our drinks, and we head to sit at a table outside in the sunshine.
"I've never met a princess too shy to order a drink," she teases, "You're a royal; you have nothing to worry about; everyone already loves you before meeting you"
"That makes me even more nervous" I sip my drink. It tastes amazing. It's so sweet, smells heavenly and a beautiful rich tan colour. Myrtle points and laughs saying I have a foam moustache. I giggle and like it off my lips.
I look around and see all the fairy tale characters and students happily chat in their groups and look at their mirror phones. I feel satisfied to finally be one of them after spending years being home-schooled. However, even though I'm enjoying this new adventure with my best friend forever after, I feel slightly homesick for the forests of my home. I'm also wondering when I'll get to see Hopper. I've hardly seen him since he left for Ever After High, only briefly when he came back to the frog kingdom for holidays and royal events. He would tell me about all the princes he was friends, how he was a star on the bookball team and doing excellent in all his classes. I just know he must be really popular at school. I've known him since I was a child, and he is the coolest and most handsome boy I know. Though, if I'm being honest, he's the only boy and prince that I know. He did tell me stories that he was best friends with Daring Charming. I remember after he told me this, I went back to my room in the La Frog estate that evening and looked at all Daring's profiles and blushed at his pictures. I never told anyone I had a crush on him apart from Myrtle. I'm not sure it's appropriate for me to have crushes on any other prince apart from the prince of my destiny which is Hopper; I know my mother certainly would not approve; in fact, Myrtle didn't either, but for other reasons. "You're pining after this guy," she said with an arched brow when I showed her his profile, "what an absolute tool. He looks like just another vain prince"
"As if you have better taste in boys, who do you have a crush on?" I replied, to which Myrtle just shrugged. I think Myrtle must be above having silly crushes on boys anyway. It's embarrassing to think about it now but I even had his poster in my bedroom when I was fourteen which I swiftly ripped off my walls before coming to ever after high when I realised how cringey and childish it was.
Anyway, I need to focus on only Hopper now if I want play my role as the next Frog Princess and be a good princess to my kingdom.
Myrtle sips her hocus latte and scrolls through her mirror phone, her beautiful long, green fingers gently swiping the screen.
"Her look at this" She reaches over the table and shows me the screen. On it is a video of a bright-eyed girl with blonde hair holding a bear-shaped microphone. I recognise her as Blondielockes, the next Goldilocks.
"What's this?" I ask inquisitively.
"It's called 'Just Right' it's a gossip show Blondie does on the mirror-net discussing all the gossip in Ever After, it's really popular. And look, she's filming it live right now over there" Myrtle points across the street, and I see Blondie talking to a mirror pad which Dexter Charming was filming from.
"You were featured on it earlier," says Myrtle, pulling up a clip where Blondie shows my royal portrait. She hands me one of her earphones, and we listen to Blondie broadcast my arrival at Ever After High;
"There's a new Royal at Ever After High, and her name is Queen La Frog and this royal is as regal as they come; the dress and jewel combo she wore as breakfast in the castleteria was just right, according to this reporter, look at those golden pearls! She is sure going to fit in with the other Royals at this school as she strives to follow her destiny. We know Hopper will sure be hopping at this new arrival as part of his story, will there be a new froggy power couple at ever after? ..." I removed the earphone.
"She sure has a lot to say about me, I haven't even talked to anyone but you yet, or even talked to any of the other royals or Hopper yet," I say with my anxiety growing at being the new girl at school and the subject of the mirror cast. I checked the views, and it already had three thousand and counting.
"Yeh, but she's saying all good things. I told you as a royal, everyone already loves you, and besides, if those royals decide not to like you, which they are studio is they don't, you still have me"
"Knowing I have you here with me makes me feel better"
"And I am glad to be here with you, and start classes and joining clubs, I know you have your destiny to follow, but as a magical creature I don't have a specific story as such and I can't wait to see where my future is and write my own destiny!" Myrtle says, her cat-like eyes wide with excitement.
"You sound like a rebel" I joke, "And we all have our destined part to play in the fairy tale world, no matter how small, it could be dangerous if we go off the page. If I don't follow my destiny as the Next Frog Princess, I could go 'poof' and so could my fairy tale and then the whole frog Kingdom could cease to exist, including the enchanted forests and lakes of the frog Kingdom and all the people and creatures I love could disappear too, including you" I say sadly. Everything I've ever known and loved ceasing to exist is the worst fate I could possible imagine, the frog kingdom is the most beautiful corner of the magical realms, and I don't want anything bad to happen to it. That thought fills me with fear. Myrtle puts her hand on top of mine, comforting me.
"That won't happen because you are going to be the most amazing Frog Princess, and I am going to be the Ever After's next top Pond Scientist"
"Is a pond scientist even a thing?" I ask, cheering up a bit.
"It will be," Myrtle says confidently with a smile.
"Is it selfish that I secretly hope that your destiny is to be my lady's maid so we can stay best friends forever after?"
She laughs, "Of course not, it is your destiny to be a selfish and spoiled princess, and no matter what happens, we will always be friends, wherever we are."
"I would love that" I smile back and take her hands in mine.
Just then, I glance behind Myrtle to see Raven Queen and Madeline hatter walking around Bookend. Ravens, eyes meet mine, and she smiles at me, but I quickly look away. As the next Evil Queen, I really don't want to get close to her, she is evil after all, and I already have one curse to contend with, one where I can't kiss anyone until my destiny unless they get cursed with frog magic. This curse has been passed down through generations of Frog Princesses first cast centuries ago by an evil witch jealous of our happily ever after. Mother says this curse helps us keep on track with our destinies as it is only broken by kissing our one true destined love, the Frog Prince. Although I agree, I also think it stops me from having any fun before I commit to my destiny.
I don't agree with Ravens' rebel actions on legacy day either. Although I could understand having your own hopes and dreams, even I have my own private dream of becoming a botanist, I couldn't understand putting the whole magical world in jeopardy. It just wasn't worth the risk of all my friends' lives to me to follow my own private passion for wildflowers and nature. Following my destiny and securing the future of my fairy tale in people's memories is a much greater cause to me. The stakes were too high to do anything differently.
I hear the school bell chime in the distance and realise it's time for my next class to start, Princessology! This will be my first ever Princessology class, and I can't wait to learn all the ways of being a good princess with the other royals. I finally will get to meet the famous Apple White. I'm about to say to Myrtle we should start to head back to school when I see Myrtle look behind me and give me one of her mischievous smirks. I turn my head, and my heart stops. I see Hopper walking towards me. He wears a royally red coat with a glinting golden pattern which matches his head of deep red waves topped with a golden crown. He stops in front of me, bows and reaches out his hand.
"Hello Queen," Hopper greets me with a toothy grin. "May I escort you to class?" he says, slightly squeakily but still sounding very princely to me. My heart skips a beat.
I look at myrtle, and she nods encouragingly. I take a deep breath and then smile demurely at him.
"I'd be delighted," I reply. I take his arm and gracefully stand up. We begin to walk towards school like a real royal couple, and I internally scream but make sure to keep my calm and elegant composure as I see from the corner of my eye blondie turn her mirror cast towards us, reporting on our movements as I make my way with Hopper towards Princessology and the next stop towards my destiny.
***Tbc***
