Apple Plays Doctor and Hostess

As Apple carried Rotbart back to Ever After High, Rotbart was trying to wrap his mind around the situation. His future victim, and current enemy, was saving him! It was humiliating, bewildering, nerve-wracking, and a huge relief, all at the same time. Rotbart could easily imagine his villainous parents' reaction if they knew that a princess was rescuing him:

"Darling, villains don't get rescued. We make sure that other people need to be rescued." His mother would say. "And then we make sure it doesn't happen!"

"Выдурак ! Никто не экономит колдуна. Особенно не принцесс." His father would say.

On the other hand, getting a ride back to school in a princess's basket as an owl sure beat trudging back as an injured, naked human. And he couldn't help feeling surprised; he thought that Apple would just leave him alone in the forest as a bird. But apparently he had misjudged the princess's capacity for kindness.

Of course, she wouldn't do so if she knew who I really am. He said to himself. And he wondered what she planned to do with him. He hoped that she would just drop him off at the nurse's office. Or with Professor Papa Bear. Or Ashlynn Ella. Someone with some medical expertise or experience with animals. And someone that would be much less inclined to freak out if his identity was revealed.

If I'm lucky, this ride will be the end of it. He thought.

"Now don't you worry," Apple told Rotbart. "I'm going to take care of you myself!"

"Whooooo..." Rotbart groaned. Today was just not his day.

Rotbart had been in Apple and Raven's room many times before to set up various pranks for Apple, but this was his first time as an invited guest. Apple gently set him down on her bed and got out a first-aid kit.

"Now this may sting a little bit..." she said as she poured some antiseptic on a cotton ball. "But we can't have germs getting into your widdle feetsies."

Don't worry. This can't hurt nearly as much as my pride. Rotbart thought as he let Apple clean his right talon.

"Wow, you didn't flinch at all!" Apple praised him as she got out the bandages. "You're sure a brave one."

You have no idea. Rotbart thought.

"And you're so pretty too." Added Apple as she bandaged his foot.

"WHO?!" Rotbart blurted out.

Apple giggled. "YOU silly, that's who. You're the prettiest owl I've ever seen!"

Rotbart just gaped at her. He couldn't believe this. APPLE WHITE had just called him pretty! Could this day GET any weirder?!

"You're even prettier than Rotbart's owl, and he was a cutie." Apple continued. "Too bad he has to live with a bully like Rotbart." She added darkly.

Rotbart had to fight back every urge to bite her for that remark.

"Well, at least you're safe with me." She said. "Now let's have a look at that wing..."

Half an hour later, Rotbart was clean, bandaged, and sitting on one of Apple's pillows while she made some tea. She brought him a little plate of plain biscuits and said: "I know owls like to eat mice, but I'm afraid I can't get you any. I hope this will do for now."

Rotbart picked up one of the biscuits with his free talon and started munching away. It was actually pretty good and just what he needed after his exhausting encounter with the Bog Snappers.

"Thanks." He hooted.

"You're welcome." Apple said as if she understood. "You're quite polite for an owl; I've never seen one eat the way you do."

Rotbart stiffened and wondered if he should have tried to pick up the biscuit with his beak instead. But luckily, Apple didn't seem suspicious at all.

"But I guess it makes sense, because you're so pretty. Anything as pretty as you would have to have good manners." Apple said.

Rotbart looked away in embarrassment. The only people that had ever complimented him on his appearance before were his mom and sister. But they had never called him "pretty." In ANY circumstance!

"You are pretty!" Apple insisted after Rotbart looked away. "Especially your eyes. I've never seen a creature with eyes like yours before."

Rotbart stiffened again. One unusual thing about his owl transformation was that his eyes remained the same color as his human eyes. And no other owl had ice-blue eyes like him.

"You know, with your appearance, bravery, and good manners, you could be a prince in disguise." Apple said. "Shall I kiss you and find out?"

"NO!" Rotbart (literally) screeched as he scooted away from Apple, his eyes wide in shock.

Apple laughed. "Oh you silly! I'm just kidding, I know you're not a prince." She said.

Fuck NO I'm not! Rotbart thought.

"Frogs turn into princes, not owls." Apple said. "Besides, I have a prince already."

If you could ever pry him away from a mirror. Rotbart thought.

"Well, not yet." Apple admitted. "Not until my story starts. And until I can pry him away from a mirror. But he'll grow out of it in time." She said confidently.

Rotbart personally doubted that. It was hard for him to imagine Daring Charming loving anyone but himself.

"And even though he may not be the most attentive prince right now, at least I can count on him." Apple said. "Unlike Raven."

Rotbart eyes narrowed. He didn't want to sit around and listen to Apple talk trash about his sister. But it looked as though he had no choice.

"She's my roommate," Apple explained as if Rotbart didn't know. "And the daughter of the Evil Queen. And she's supposed to poison me someday since I'm the daughter of Snow White. But she won't because she claims she doesn't want to be evil. And it's so selfish!"

Rotbart glared in disgust. You wanna see selfish? He thought. You take a look in a fucking magic mirror.

"I mean, what if our story goes poof?" Apple said. "And it means the end of me, Raven, Daring, the seven dwarfs, and Hunter? I mean, nothing's happened now, but that doesn't mean it couldn't some day."

Yeah, and maybe the earth will deflate and become flat again. Rotbart thought sarcastically. He couldn't believe that people actually believed that crap.

"And I really can't afford to go poof!" Apple said. "I'm supposed to be queen; everybody's counting on me to take over and take care of everyone as a leader."

I'm sure the nation will survive. Rotbart thought dryly. But at the same time, he felt himself gaining a little respect for Apple; in some ways, she wasn't quite as selfish as he thought she was. She really did seem to care about the well-being of others. Albeit in a very misguided fashion.

"And to make matters worse, Raven somehow got a guy named Rotbart to take her place." Apple said bitterly. "He's originally from the Swan Lake story."

No shit. Rotbart thought.

"And while Raven isn't evil enough, he's too evil!" Apple said. "He's tricky, powerful, scary..."

Oh you flatterer. Rotbart thought.

"...And really, REALLY mean!"

Still sticking with that adjective, huh? Rotbart thought. Mean seemed inadequate to describe a villain of his upbringing.

"I'm scared that when he poisons me, he'll do it for good." Apple admitted. "And that would be just as bad as going poof!"

And a lot more likely. Rotbart thought.

"But Raven says he won't. And she got him to change me back after he turned me into a swan, so I guess she'll make him stick to it. I don't know how she has so much control over him!"

She doesn't. Rotbart thought stubbornly. But deep down he had to admit that his goody-two-shoes sister had a funny way of bringing out his better nature. Blackmail aside.

"And at least he's WAY better then that little pig Raven tried to recruit as a replacement first."

He wasn't recruited, he volunteered! Rotbart thought. That little pig was a pathetic excuse of a villain. But it was just like Raven to let him try anyway.

Still, it was nice to know that Apple really respected him as an antagonist.

"No, Rotbart's really a big pig." Apple said with finality.

And once again, Rotbart struggled not to bite her nose off.