Laura breathed deeply as she stepped towards the pond. All of the other girls had wished for princes. She knew what her heart wanted, but it was also the last thing she wanted anyone else to know. The one thing that still haunted her from childhood.

"Go on dear, they aren't going to hurt you." Princess Uma urged, nudging her towards the pond.

Laura kneeled and stuck her finger in, allowing the animals to gently stroke her palm. She had treated the mermaids the same way when she had arrived in Neverland years ago.

There were whispers of speech, not as strong as the mermaids. Slowly, the fish scurried, creating a beautiful scene. It was in the hall of the castle in Villeneuve. Her parents, most likely in their late sixties (they had only been thirty when she had left), embraced her tightly. All three of them were crying as they hugged.

Acceptance.

The one thing she had always hoped for, even when she slept in a treehouse in Neverland. All she had ever wanted were parents who didn't flinch every time she walked into the room. Parents who could see beyond the childhood accident.

She didn't realize she was crying at the scene, until it shifted, and showed what looked like the beaches of Neverland. On the beach, she and Sebastian were arguing, surrounded by Twilight Children and soldiers.

"What is this scene?" Uma asked, looking at the upset student. With a start, she realized they could still only see her with her parents. "Why are Beauty and the Beast in it?"

"My family." She breathed. There was a set of gasps behind her. Obviously, they weren't expecting her to be the princess to one of the three most powerful kingdoms in the fairytale world.

She was still stuck watching the water, while mutters broke out behind her, discussing how to take the fact that a real-life princess was kneeling before them.

Sebastian was shouting at her, and she stood, feet shoulder width apart, as they faced off, fire cracking from her hands and water flowing from his. Two sides of the same coin. Only, Sebastian couldn't do magic. This must be fake, or the future.

Laura stared as they fought. The Twilight Children and Sea Kingdom soldiers backing away from the two angry warriors. Fear in their eyes.

The scene changed as she saw Sebastian falling from the sky. His lone figure was surrounded by a cloak. Then another figure joined the fall. Her, tucking her chin into her chest. Why wasn't she flying away? The two of them intertwined, falling together towards the ground overtop of a village.

"Who was that prince back there? The one who threw his rose into your lap?"

Laura turned to her new roommate, whom she had grown rather fond of. They had bonded over being outcasts in the wrong world. She had been here only a week and managed to avoid setting the school on fire, which was good. Agatha had told her stories of her home, and now it was Laura's turn. They had been scentenced to confinement after Agatha had set the school on fire.

She turned to Agatha from her top bunk bed, crossing her legs. "I keep forgetting you're a reader. You don't know what is going on, do you?"

Agatha shook her head, picking at the pink carnations on her shoulder.

"If I tell you this, you cannot tell anyone that you know, do you understand? I will be captured and most likely tortured."

Agatha's eyes widened and she nodded hastily. "I won't breath a word to anyone.

"You know the story of Beauty and the Beast, right?" She paused. "Well, I'm their only child. Princess Colette Laurel Belle of Villeneuve. I was born with magic, and when I was ten, I accidentally burnt down the west wing of the castle. People are frightened of the unknown and my parents got rid of me, they wanted nothing to do with me. I wandered around before I landed on Neverland and became the leader. I've been there for the past thirty years."

"The prince who threw his rose in my lap is Prince Sebastian of Havfrue, the kingdom known for The Little Mermaid. He started attacking Neverland with a fleet of soldiers and a shaky alliance with the pirates. I saw Kendrick of Bluebrook at the assembly, he is the leader of the pirates, and apparently made it into the school for evil. They want Neverland's magic for themselves, but I was sworn to protect it, so if I go down fighting, then so be it."

Agatha nodded in admiration. "Wow. The history professor said that there are three main ever kingdoms. Camelot, Havfrue, and Villeneuve. He mentioned that all three have an heir at the school, but I thought he was wrong because everyone was talking about how there was only Sebastian and Tedros, but they are wrong. You are the third heir."

Laura nodded sadly. "As much as I want to escape it, it keeps coming back."

Agatha, sensing her friend's discontentment, asked her a question. "Want to go for a walk? I have found a little area in the library, and I need your help with something."

Laura jumped down off her bunk bed, landing delicately, her small vial necklace bouncing against her pink uniform. She scooped up her book bag. "Sure, please distract me."

The two of them walked out of their room and down the hallway. Immediately, girls would hop into their rooms our behind princes they had claimed, who drew their swords, terrified of the ugly witch and the fire sorcerer.

They walked past the men's groom room and Laura rolled her eyes at Beatrix and her entourage watching through the crack in the door. They scattered suddenly, tripping over their mary janes and vanishing into other rooms as Tedros and Sebastian threw the door open, talking cheerfully.

Sebastian stopped however when he made eye contact with Laura.

"Put on a shirt," She scoffed. "You're acting like your womanizer grandfather." She muttered as an afterthought. Agatha snickered as they kept walking.

There was no denying that he wasn't hot. He was well muscled from years of swimming and fighting. She could see his biceps pushing against the fabric of his suit jacket. His skin was a deep golden colour from who knew how many hours under the sun, working on the boat. His red hair was cut neatly, and soft blue eyes stared out, matching the uniform. She couldn't get past the fact that he was an ignorant prick to see it for herself.

The library was quiet as they stepped in, the large tortoise asleep on the log. Nobody really used the library, it was considered useless.

Agatha led the way into a secluded corner, which wouldn't be noticed unless you walked down an aisle of books, which no one did.

Laura smiled. "This is awesome."

"I know right? No one will be able to watch us," Agatha paused as they both sat down. "I have to ask you something."

Laura looked up at her. There was something in her that reminded her of The Twilight Children. Something that made her familiar. "What?"

"Can you help me with a riddle?"

"Sure!"

"What does evil lack that good cannot live without?"

Laura made a face. "Why this riddle?"

Agatha leaned in close so no eavesdropping princesses could here. "Sophie and I saw the schoolmaster, and he started our story. He said we could go home if we solved it."

Laura leaned back in her seat and eyed Beatrix fixing her make up through the books. "Good looks?"

Agatha snickered. "Probably, but something deeper."

"If I help you solve this, will you promise that you will tell Tedros off before you go?"

Agatha nodded and shook her hand in agreement.

There was a burst of laughter outside and they looked out to see Sebastian, Tedros, and a group of guys kicking around two pillows. One had a lumpy black rag on and the other had on a cloak.

Laura flinched as a sword pierced the heart and the head. That pillow looked a lot like her.

Sebastian looked up at the window and made eye contact with her, a silent message in his eyes. She got it.