Chapter Four

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In the empty classroom Headmaster Grimm pulled up the teachers seat and folded his hands upon the desk, raven following suit in slight irritation.

He cleared his throat and smiled down at her with narrowed eyes, "Now, miss Queen, I do believe that you recall not long ago your brother Rotbart volunteered to take your place." He began.

"I am NOT taking it back!" Raven shouted, sitting up immediately, assuming he was going to try and force it on her again.

He chuckled and motioned his hands for her to be seated again, "Oh, no, I'm not going to try with that again my dear, I had another thing to speak with you about." He assured her.

She huffed loudly and sat down reluctantly.

Satisfied he began again, "Now that Apple White has a complete story, there will no longer be any pressure for you to fulfil the role of her antagonist. It is something I can truthfully guarantee."

"Yes, well thank you then." Raven said, anxious to get this over with as fast as possible.

"However..." He spoke up enticing a groan from the young witch. "Now that he has abandoned his own story, that leaves Duchess Swan without a complete destiny." He said.

Raven's hair stood up on end thinking of the annoying and selfish princess who only caused grief everywhere she went...always trying to ruin other people's stories and obsessed with her own pity.

It was so easy to get lost in her thoughts of major dislike in regard to the feather fiend that Raven wasn't even paying attention to what Grimm was saying at all...

"Yeah..." She muttered thoughtlessly.

"Really? You'll really do it?" The headmaster exclaimed in shock, standing up from his chair.

"Huh? WAIT, do what?" Raven sat up suddenly alert.

Grimm smiled and repeated, "I asked if you would be willing to complete her story as her villain!"

Raven gasped and stood up furiously, "NO! I will NOT!" She cried, "Why do you think I would torment her any further than she already is?"

Truly shocked, the headmaster replied, "But you've expressed your dislike for her, along with many other students so frequently, surely it shouldn't matter to you if she does!" He offered, honestly having thought that would work.

"And maybe you could even allow for her to love happily ever after... After all, you aren't the original tales villain, so either way it's rewriting destiny. Don't you think that's right?" He tried to sway her twisting the facts and making it sound like something noble to do.

Raven crossed her arms and looked him in the eye, "Absolutely not. I may dislike her, but I will not harm her, or anyone. I'm not the evil queen, and I never will be. Ever. In any way shape or form!"

He slammed his hands on the desk, enraged, "Yes you are and yes you will be! By fairy godmother, you will carry out this role whether you like it or not!"

Before Raven could retaliate, the door slammed open, and a shocked and irritated Duchess stood there, ruffled and ready to fight,

"NO SHE WILL NOT!" She shouted. Some students from outside the doorway stopped to peer in and see what the commotion was about.

The headmaster grimaced and ordered her to get out, "Now you stay out of this. Miss Swan" he demanded.

She gaped in shock at him, and put her toe down, "No! I won't stay out of it! This is my story you're butchering and trying to rewrite behind my back! I trusted you to leave me alone after Rotbart left..."

She began to tear up, hurt and uncaring about her reputation now, "I thought I might finally have the chance to be happily ever after...without the suffering...without the tragedy...without that STUPID cursed ballet..."

Raven spoke up softly, "Don't worry Duchess, you will. I'm not going to take anyone's place."

Duchess looked up at her suspiciously, always having distrusted her. She saw her in a different light now as she came up to her and held her shoulders, "Everyone, even you has the right to be loved and happy. And I'm not going to get in your way." She said, emphasising that last part and looking back to Grimm.

"And it's staying that way!"

With that she left the room and stormed off, leaving Headmaster Grimm simmering. He was sure that would have worked, but clearly it wasn't.

Duchess then straightened up, and for the first time felt real courage, and real hope for her own happiness and then said, "As for me, I am nearby ENDING the Swan Lake legacy!"

Everyone surrounding them gasped. Of all royals to change, this had been one of the biggest shocks of all.

She transformed into a swan and flew in a violent streamline toward the offending headmaster and flapped her wings at his face, before exiting out the doorway.

She would have dropped a special substance on his head too it there hadn't been an audience. She was so mad right now, but at the same time happy, and yet scared. Flying through the enchanted forest she honked and squawked, sobbing on the inside as she bee lined for a certain hideout.

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Cerise ducked and growled menacingly as a random huge bird buzzed past her head, almost knocking off her hood. Daring calmed her down, afraid she might revert into huntress mode again. Last time she did that he'd caught her eating a rabbit.

He actually cried that day. But, true love wasn't meant to be easy...and that's not just a Cupid catchphrase, he realised.

"Come on Riri, let's just hurry up and get out of sight before anyone sees us." He cooed, attempting to distract her with his charm.

She huffed, and then looked at him, feigning uninterest in his broad and charming smile.

"You know that huntress mode... Is kind of a no no with me..." He nervously muttered, as she continued to eye him suspiciously.

Growling in her throat she pounced on him, the huntress taking down a different prey, and Daring felt both relieve and a little intimidated, but the way he grasped her and held her against him might say otherwise.

Lost in a kiss, they didn't even hear the clicking of a mirrorpad camera.

"I came for a shocking story, and got an even juicier one!" Blondie Locks whispered to herself, pleased with herself and also displeased with Daring.

She had followed Duchess out here to see if she would answer any questions when suddenly she happened upon Cerise and Apple's supposedly destined fiancé passionately roughousing like wild beasts.

"That's just NOT right!" She thought as she hurried away. Not one normally to resort to malicious thoughts and actions she comforted her conscience knowing that her best friend forever after deserved to know the truth.

Apple would be back from her vacation to Neverland with her parents soon and though it hurt her to ruin her friends mood with such news, it simply had to be done.