The Discovery
As Rotbart was admiring the winter scenery and enjoying the chill of the night, he noticed someone trying to sneak by him out of the corner of his eye.
"Good evening, princess." He said without turning around.
Drat! Apple thought as she stopped in her tracks. She had really hoped that Rotbart wouldn't notice her; every encounter with him always seemed to leave a bitter, humiliating taste in her mouth. But she couldn't really ignore him now.
"Good evening." She said stiffly. And she braced herself for the inevitable conflict. At least her friends and followers were all in the ballroom and readily available as back-up if need be.
But Rotbart didn't say anything right away. He continued studying the landscape like a great painting. For a whole minute, the sorcerer and princess stood in complete quiet.
Rotbart was fine with silence, but Apple found it extremely uncomfortable. So she decided to break it, against her better judgment.
"Have you seen Daring?" She asked. The reason Apple had stepped outside in the first place was that Blondie wanted to film Apple and Daring dancing together for her mirrorcast show. But Apple's Prince Charming was nowhere to be found.
Rotbart turned around and looked at her quizzically. "You're asking me?"
"Yes…" Apple said warily as she wondered where he was going with this.
"Do I look like I keep track of pompous pretty boys?"
Apple crossed her arms and frowned. "Well he's not exactly hard to miss. Being the best-looking prince and all." She said haughtily.
"According to him." Rotbart quipped.
"And everyone!" Apple snapped.
"Then everyone has exceptionally poor taste." Rotbart airily replied.
"You're just jealous!" Apple accused.
Rotbart could barely keep his jaw from dropping. "Me?! Jealous?! Of him?!" He said incredulously. It was quite easily the most ridiculous thing that anyone had ever said to him. "WHY?"
"Because he's the most handsome and chivalrous prince in the land." Apple said with the certainty of a fairytale princess. "He's destined for greatness and glory."
"Because he wakes you from a coma?" Rotbart sarcastically asked. "Fucking-whoopdie-doo." He pitied any guy that was destined to be stuck with Apple White forever after. Even if he was a dumbass like Daring.
Apple opened her mouth to chew him out but was interrupted by a strange noise. A strange, heavy, primal, grunting sound.
"What is that?" Apple asked after a minute or two of listening.
"Beats me." Rotbart said. "I think it's coming from below."
"Below the veranda?" Apple asked.
"Uh-huh."
"Do you think it's a troll?"
Rotbart gave her a withering look. "Trolls live under bridges. NOT verandas."
"Well, they could!" Apple said defensively.
"But they don't." Rotbart retorted.
"And what makes you…" Apple stopped when she heard the grunting turn into words:
"Yes…Yes…Oh yes…YES…"
Apple knew that voice. And Rotbart was pretty sure he recognized it too. The two fairytale teens slowly looked over the edge of the veranda. To the area beneath the curved steps on the right. To the little alcove that was private, but a little too public to truly be a good hook-up spot.
Lizzie Hearts was going for Daring Charming's head.
And not the one on his shoulders.