"Could you pretty please point me in the direction of where Ashlynn Ella might be? I'm her boyfriend and I heard that she's hurt, is she okay? Do you know if she's okay?" Hunter begged a surprised receptionist, who hesitantly wrote a room number down on a piece of paper and handed it to the boy.
"Thank you so much." Hunter praised with feeling before sprinting off.
Hunter paused in front of a private room door, having the presence of mind to collect himself so that he wouldn't scare Ashlynn by freaking out in front of her.
"Your dad is cheating on your mom with a man and she knows about it?" Briar's muffled voice came through the door incredulously.
Hunter looked up and down the empty hallway before cupping his ear to the door.
"It's more complicated then it sounds." Apple's voice sighed. "Mom said that daddy tried being a good husband and Prince Charming but he was so unhappy in the first few months of their marriage… and then mom discovered that she didn't have any romantic feelings for him, she just thought of him as a friend, and they couldn't get divorced because of the scandal it would have caused so they struck a deal with each other…" Apple trailed off.
"Mom said that my grandmother told her on her wedding night to not expect a happy ending or a true love that is described in fairytales… that she should not expect a faithful husband or things to be anything like how the story describes a happy ending. That she should find a way to be content and just get over it." Apple stated sadly.
"How horrible." Ashlynn's voice gasped, and Hunter couldn't help but nod in agreement.
"I never liked your grandmother." Briar stated nonchalantly. "But how does this explain why you lost your damn mind last night?"
"Because it wasn't just that!" Apple almost snapped. "First Faybelle tells me that my mother used to bully the Evil Queen and was part of the reason why she went insane and later when I asked my mom she admitted that this was true, and then when we went into the Book's memories I got stuck in Faybelle's story and Sleeping Beauty, who looked exactly like you, kept taking off her clothes and trying to seduce me, and then when we came back we found out that the Headmaster locked his own brother, his name is Giles by the way, in the school archives and cursed him so that he could only speak riddlish because he was like, the original Rebel! So when we un-cursed him he told us that rumor about us disappearing if we don't sign the Book is all a big lie because he knows people who never signed the Book and some of them are still alive centuries after the fact!"
There was a soft bang like a fist hitting a wall before Apple continued. "And then along with all of that on my mind I find out that there's these scars on Raven's back like somebody had whipped her when she was small but she only tells people she trusts about them and I had to find out by accident because apparently she doesn't trust me, and there are these secret business trips that she's taking that she can't tell me about because not only doesn't she trust me but apparently there are people out there who would try to hurt her and her family if they found out, and apparently me and my family are practically the only ones who see her becoming the Evil Queen as a good thing because even the high council would prefer it if she bit the poisoned apple before I even got close to it so that they could spirit her away and ritualistically cleanse her of her dishonor, even though she's done nothing wrong, and either sell her off to a religious order, marry her off, or try to kill her in an impossible quest or battle…"
Apple took a big inhale of breath. "And guess what? On top of all of that I find out that she loves me. Like both in an extreme loyalty sort of way that you read about in books between a king and his favorite advisor and… maybe in a romantic… sort of way, I'm not sure."
"Romantic sort of way?" Ashlynn asked.
"Faybelle had said that Raven loved me… I thought that she was just referring to Raven's level of loyalty to me but… when I asked her if she had ever loved anyone she got the wrong idea and told me that she was in love with a girl who's promised to someone else, who is in such standing that it would be seen as unseemly if anybody found out that she has feelings for them, and that she's trying really hard to get over them so that her feelings wouldn't ruin their friendship." Apple explained. "And that she's scared that if this person ever found out… if I ever found out I'd… hurt her." Apple's voice started to waver and Hunter could hear her sniffle.
"That… explains so much!" Briar stated as if the universe's secrets were suddenly revealed to her. "Why she keeps trying to do nice things for you, why she keeps singing your praises despite you nagging on her all the time, and it explains why she's never turned down all of that dark and gloomy stuff you keep giving her despite the fact that she hates Evil Queen regalia!"
"Briar!" Ashlynn reprimanded as Apple started to make muffled crying sounds.
"Oops… sorry Apple." Briar coughed apologetically. "Really I am, it sounds like you've been put through the ringer the past few days… is that why you were chasing her through the halls? You were afraid that Raven's business dealings involved the high council trying to get her to submit to their whims?"
"Raven said that even though she can't be my villain… that she was going to make sure I got my fairytale, no matter what it took. She had told me that before she had thought to not sign the Book she was going to poison me and then willingly give up her kingdom and birthright back to her grandmother or the Good King, change her appearance and name, and live as an enchantress in the middle of nowhere!" Apple sobbed. "And that if the Rebel thing worked out she'd find me a new villain! I don't want a new villain I want Raven! I don't care if she's nothing like how my mother described villains to be, I don't want her to go away and just… leave me! I'd miss her!"
"…Apple…" Briar said slowly. "I know that you are very fond of Raven and all but you do realize that she's not a toy being taken away from you right? She's kind of a living real person… with feelings of her own, you know?"
"Of course I know that!" Apple snapped angrily.
"Honey, what Briar is trying to say is that… it's a bit confusing to understand why you are freaking out about losing Raven as your villain when she has promised to provide you with a new one. Now that you know that no one is in danger of disappearing you can rest easy and still get your fairytale, the only thing different will be that you get a new villain." Ashlynn soothed diplomatically. "And it sounds like becoming the Evil Queen would be very troublesome for Raven, you don't want her to go through all that hardship do you?"
"But I…" Apple hesitated. "I don't want a new villain I… I don't know why but I don't want to give up Raven. Ever since I was a kid I've been told by my tutors and parents that there was someone beautiful born especially for me, to live beside me and make my happily ever after come true, and that's exactly Raven's job as my villain… I can't imagine anybody else standing in her place!"
The room went silent for a moment.
"Sweetie I think that your family and your tutors were talking about Daring, not Raven, when they told you that." Ashlynn said slowly.
"Oh you silly, Daring is the prince, he's just supposed to wake me up and smile charmingly at the adoring crowds as he helps me rule my kingdom." Apple laughed wetly. "It's a villain's job to make sure that the princess gets their happy ending and Raven is the most awesome-est most beautiful villain that there ever was! Even if she isn't alluringly wicked, she's adorably nice, and she always supports me even with un-maidenly things and ideals that she herself doesn't believe in, and she was born specifically to be my villain! Who else but Raven would they have been talking about?"
"Daring!" Briar snapped sounding fed up. "They were talking about Daring!"
"I can see where that is a common misconception but I assure you that Raven was the one that they had described for me." Apple said primly.
In the following silence Hunter took the time to lift his head to squint at the closed door quizzically. Did he just hear? Yep, yep he did.
Hunter didn't have time to ponder on the princess's words much because it was at that moment that he realized that he wasn't alone.
Hunter would have screamed at the sight of over half the bookball team crouched behind him if Cerise hadn't held him still and covered his mouth so that he didn't make much sound.
The huntsman's eye ticked irritably once he calmed down enough to see Daring, Dexter, and Sparrow put fingers to their mouths telling him to shush.
XXX
Ashlynn and Briar looked at Apple, who was sitting up in her bed, for a long moment before slowly turning their heads to each other and sharing a look. Ashlynn seeming completely baffled and Briar's eyebrow was twitching so much it started to appear to take a life of it's own.
"What?" Apple sniffed cagily. "Why are you guys looking at each other like that?"
Briar closed her eyes, pursed her lips and motioned for Ashlynn to take the lead on this one. Ashlynn scowled and promptly flicked Briar's shoulder in retaliation but nevertheless turned to Apple with the most understanding look that she could muster.
"Honey, are you saying that you feel as though you and Raven have a special connection?" Ashlynn asked carefully.
"Of course we do." Apples sniffled sounding happy.
"And you like the way she's so nice to you despite it not being a villain thing?" Ashelynn asked again.
"It's grown on me." Apple giggled while blushing. "Yeah I like it a lot."
"And you care for her a lot…?"
"Yes!"
"You like buying her gifts."
"She barely had a proper wardrobe when she moved in let alone one fit for a queen!" Apple scoffed at the memory.
"You like holding her hand and hugging her practically every time you see her." Ashlynn recalled.
"She's so warm and huggable and her hair smells so nice." Apple sighed dreamily.
"Do you get warm fuzzy feeling's in your chest and tummy when she's around?"
"All the time and sometimes my heart feels like it's going super fast or it even skips a beat when she does something cute."
"You think that she's beautiful."
"The most beautiful and awesome person on the planet!"
"You want to spend the rest of your life with her by your side?"
"Forever and ever after!"
Ashlynn hesitated. "In sickness and in health, through good and bad?"
"Of course! As long as she's there I'll always be with her!"
"You care for her differently than your other friends?"
"Yes, I've noticed that on more than one occasion that I care the most about her approval more than than anybody else."
"You care for her more than you do Daring." Ashlynn concluded.
"Well, yeah, Daring is a boy. I've never felt the same way about boys as I do Raven." Apple shrugged as if this were a common fact.
"You love Raven very much?"
"With my whole heart."
"You want to make a life with her?"
"We can raise our kids together and spend so much time with each other."
"You want to take Raven as your lawfully wedded wife!" Briar cut in, ducking out of the way when Ashlynn made a swipe at her.
"Yes I do! I want Raven to become my wife because I love her and I want to spend the rest of my happily ever after with her!" Apple declared in a joyful squeal.
Silence descended upon the room once again.
"Apple… I want you to stop and think about everything that you just said." Briar ordered when it became clear that the princess was so wrapped up in the moment that she had frozen with both of her hands clasped together excitedly and a happy smile on her face.
"I heard myself the first time…" Apple trailed off shakily. "I think I did at least… um did I just say that I'm… um… th- that I'm… in love with Raven?"
"You said that you wanted to marry her and make a bunch of little blonde witchlings." Briar nodded her head. "I distinctly heard that."
"Oh…" Apple squeaked before falling backwards onto her pillows with a soft thump.
"Apple?" Ashlynn moved to her unconscious friend worriedly.
"Either she's fainted or we've just helped kill her with a heart attack." Briar mumbled looking her unconscious friend over. "I'll go get a healer." The princess declared while opening the door-
-To find a guilty looking Hunter crouched down by the door, Daring and Cerise in "apparent deep discussion" about Band-Aid designs further down the hall (the prince's hair was suspiciously tousled like he had been whisked away by something very fast), and across the hall Sparrow had his arm around Dexter's waist and was forcing the two of them to have their back to her, Sparrow was obviously trying to pretend that he was pointing out something interesting in one of the decorative flower pictures lining the walls but it wasn't working because Dexter kept trying to turn his shocked gaze back to the open door and he kept making these scandalized little squawks that Sparrow tried to muffle by pinning the boy's head to his shoulder with a firm hand.
"Oh hi Briar." Cerise waved casually (Hunter using the distraction to slip past Briar and over to Ashlynn's side where he promptly began fussing over her black eye and the bandage on her shoulder). "The guys and I had just wanted to come by to see how you were."
"Uh huh." Briar narrowed her eyes disbelievingly. "And did Tiny at least have the mind to politely back out of your eavesdropping mission?"
Quiet whistling followed by the retreating steps of a giant were heard outside the room's window.
"I better not be hearing about this in Blondie's blog!" Briar shouted to the giant's whistling retreating figure after she shoved the window open and stuck her head out (because as nice as Tiny was, he could be a terrible gossip, could put little old ladies to shame with all the information he had on everybody and his inability to keep a secret for long, especially when asked directly, which was why he was Blondie's favorite source).
"How did she know what we were up to?" Daring scratched his head confused.
"Briar's got the intuition of a witch." Cerise informed sagely.
XXX
Raven focused on chewing the tangy watery fruit slices that the water nymph in front of her kept shoving into her mouth while the woman's two sisters mercilessly scrubbed every inch of Raven's body with sandalwood scented soap, the witch pointedly looking around the giant bathing chamber and not gawking at the incredibly well endowed gorgeous naked women surrounding her, getting her ready for her first wedding ritual.
Distracting herself with her surroundings only worked for a little while, Raven marveled an the sheer massiveness of the bathing chamber, the polished white marble standing in stark contrast to the black rock that could be seen peeking up over the glass roof which covered the entire chamber in a large dome supported by a spider web pattern of thin metal supports, the six polished white marbled pillars helping to keep the roof up, the plush white carpet runners running along the foot paths of the rectangular room, the giant ornate fountains placed in the center of each pool depicting statues of creatures from the darkest depths of foreign seas shooting streams of water out of their mouths, the tiny colorful golems shaped to look and act like fish swimming trough the water of the pool, and then finally the gold leaf decorated statue reliefs lining the tops of the pillars and upper portions of the rooms…
And that is where Raven found trouble.
The witch blushed bright red when she finally noticed that the reliefs were depictions of various… sexual acts in either for self-pleasure, for two people, or a whole group…
"Maybe we should try… that one." Raven could hear Kitty say to Maddie as she pointed to one of the reliefs; the two of them were sitting along the edge of one of the smaller pools off to the side and looking around them with interest.
Before the witch could stop herself her gaze followed the path of Kitty's finger, Raven found her face flushing even hotter than before.
The women all around her giggled at her reaction.
"Ah yes, that's right, you did say that you were raised by humans for most of your life." Faybelle mused; apparently she had also caught sight of the witch's reaction. "I suppose there must be parts of your education that the cultural rift between those two groups that could not be gaped, it at least explains how you can handle being around those Ever After humans for extended periods of time so well."
"They did their best." Raven defended. "And I can assure you that the Lady Good King did teach me about ritualized fornication… and a bunch of other related topic but…" Raven winced at the memory.
"Lady Good King taught you that kind of thing?" Faybelle laughed into her hand.
"She was very thorough…" Raven grimaced. "Said that she did a lot of… "personal" research into it…"
"Traumatized you did she?" Faybelle and the nymphs snickered.
"Traumatized me, the Good King, maybe Maddie, several scholars who had been in that particular section of the university library at the time… the only person whom she had not traumatized was my grandmother, who was with us via a secure mirror contact, and it only got worse when my grandmother kept encouraging her and adding her own information into that particular talk." Raven said without any hint of shame whatsoever because it had been incredibly embarrassing at the time and it was still incredibly embarrassing whenever one or the other woman brought the subject up.
"It was traumatizing!" Maddie confirmed. "…However useful it had become later on…"
"I don't wanna know!" Raven called back causing another round of giggles from the fae-folk.
"I must say that Apple White must be getting quite the education while living with you." Faybelle asked deceptively lightly, just enough that Raven didn't catch the inquisitive approach that the fairy had taken the conversation or the plotting gleam in Faybelle's eye.
"I don't tell her about that kind of stuff." Raven shook her head. "Apple is willing to be diplomatic about other cultures that are incredibly different than hers, and she's adorably sweet when she tries to understand platonic aspects of my culture and when she asks me to walk her through the various rituals for witch holidays… but she's just way too innocent about… let's just say certain aspects of life, sometimes to the point where it's difficult to believe sometimes…" Raven cleared her throat. "So I've brought the issue up with Cupid and she's agreed that when she has the time she'll flesh out Apple's… and Daring's current understandings so that their wedding night won't end up a complete disaster… with one of them getting hurt or traumatized."
If it were any other prince and princess Faybelle would be laughing, but since she'd be the one to assume responsibility for them soon… "You're going above and beyond with those two, you do realize this right?" she spoke over the nymph's grumblings of inadequate instruction from humans towards their children about intimacy.
"Yeah." Raven smiled wryly. "But I can't help it, aside my family duties to them they've… grown on me I guess you could say, so it's natural for me to worry about that kind of stuff with their futures."
"Can you take care of that for me before I gain the title and responsibility?" Faybelle asked hopefully while she cringed at the mental picture of herself dragging those two off to explain that there was more to the act of lovemaking than just for the goal of creating heirs… and that while the act itself may be mostly instinct, without the right preparation or knowledge on how to do things, one, the other, or both could end up with torn or bruised bits… or knowing how taboo sex was to many human cultures they'd end up terrifying each other and… Faybelle did not want to deal with that, because she knew that Apple would tell Ashlynn or Blondie about it and then they'd drag Faybelle in, because it would be Faybelle's responsibility then to- No. No, no, no… no she was not dealing with that ever!
The nymphs listened to the conversation attentively as they ushered the witch and fairy out of the water and down the carpeted path towards the room where they would both be covered in henna tattoos.
"I understand." Raven nodded in understanding, not looking too pleased with the idea of having to tell two teenagers the advanced version of The Talk herself. "I'll do my best to give them as much instruction in as possible, but it's keeping them from running away that is my-"
"I'll take care of that." Faybelle promised. "I have several people who are their friends who owe me favors, they will help you."
"Thanks." Raven breathed. "Turning to wave goodbye to Maddie and Kitty as she was led away, the two waving back before turning their attentions to an attendant who would be taking them in another direction for them to be fitted into ceremonial dresses for the observers of the wedding ritual.
XXX
"Why did you drag me into the girl's showers?" Dexter demanded as he flailed wildly in his brother's hold, squeezing his eyes shut so that the soapy suds being worked into his hair would not get into his eyes.
"No one uses them." Daring said knowingly. "And besides the bathroom back at our dorm is too small to fit all three of us in there. Look at Darling, she doesn't mind being in here." The blonde pointed to their sister who was calmly sitting on a plastic stool and lathering the shampoo into her hair.
"That's because she's a girl! She's supposed to be in here!" Dexter shrieked. "I'm stark naked! What if someone comes in!
Darling giggled. "Well your screeching should ward them off brother dear."
"Why are you being so cooperative?" Dexter demanded, because usually Daring had to wrestle them both down to be washed or sprayed or whatever and having Daring's full focus on him was not helping his escape at all.
"I'm in here willingly because I've heard good things about Raven's specially made beauty products from the and I've always wanted to try them out." Darling hummed serenely as she breathed in the lovely scent of the shampoo. It smelled like apples, cloves, and pumpkin spice.
"Well… it does smell pretty nice…" Dexter grumbled. "And Raven is really good at making stuff like this… she gave me what she had left over of those batches of that really nice cologne and that tin of scented magically heated shaving cream she had made as a gift to the Good King for the witch's holiday of Mabon."
"That's why you smelled so good?" Daring sputtered indignantly. "And you didn't tell me about the cologne?"
"Well I can't grow a beard yet so you got to use the heated shaving cream." Dexter grumbled while stroking his smooth, hairless chin. "And besides that, at the time the Rebel movement was still new and Raven was getting some flack from the Royals about Ashlynn turning over to the Rebel side… she didn't want to deal with people accusing her of trying to poison me, or anybody trying to frame her for poisoning me if some Royal decided to go the extra mile…"
"Hmm I suppose she's was right to be cautious…" Daring admitted. "But still I was driving myself mad trying to find more heated shaving cream, they don't sell any in the village, and I could not find an online outlet that had that particular scent of… I don't even know what that scent was. And the brands that I tested were luke-warm at best with the heated part!"
"Raven said that it was a mix of platypus tail and snapping tall dragon's root, both are grown in her home kingdom." Dexter informed.
"Well no wonder I couldn't find it." Daring grumbled. "Both of those are endangered plants at Ever After and they're mostly used for rituals or extremely expensive perfumes." The prince sighed despairingly. "If I had known how rare its ingredient's were I would've tried to make it last longer… and I wouldn't have taken it to practice with me where Sparrow and Hunter were gleefully able to swipe some."
"Raven was happy that you guys had liked it so much." Dexter leaned his head back as Daring rinsed his hair using the flexible showerhead, basking in the feel of the hot water before speaking again. "Since they were both Rebels and since you said that I had gotten that stuff from somewhere I couldn't remember… they kind of figured out on their own that Raven was the one who made that stuff. Hunter gracefully said that he'd be happy with a different scent combination of more commonly found plants for his shaving cream and cologne in exchange for him collecting all the ingredients needed for the potions himself and a payment of three silver apples every time he comes to her to make more."
"And Sparrow?" Daring asked sounding a little more on edge, the prince worried that Raven might be getting conned by the redheaded boy into making things for him.
"She's got him bent over a barrel." Dexter snorted amused. "If he wants to get the nice things with the expensive or rare ingredients that only she makes because of her unique access to the little sample gifts farmers from her lands give to her or her grandmother in thanks for offering them so much protection… he has to pay his way with money, or the raw ingredients needed to make what he wants, books and other ingredients she uses for her personal studies, and he owes her little formal favors under a legal contract."
Daring looked down at his brother with a raised brow.
"He really, really likes the street cred he gets by being in possession of things that none of the other musicians can find anywhere in Ever After, no matter how hard they search… as you well know from your experience with that after shave." Dexter said with a teasing grin.
"Raven and a few other Rebel witches have formed a small group that works like this." Darling informed her eldest brother a tad smugly while she rinsed her own hair. "Most Rebels know that they are the ones you go to if you need a spell or a potion that you can't get in the village, rumor has it that they even have some secret Royal clients who come to them for the hush, hush embarrassing stuff. All they ask for in exchange for their services is either money or some form of trade. Raven is the one you go to if you want to procure a certain type of shampoo or transparent shoe polish to make your slippers look like they're made of glass."
"Why haven't I heard about this before?" Daring asked. "Surly such skills would be the most sought after in the entire school."
"They're fairytale witches Daring." Darling pointed out. "You know just as well as we do how there is a stigma about maidens and heroes being in possession of something made by a fairytale witch amongst the Royals."
"Yeah… well there shouldn't be." Daring said darkly. "Especially for Raven, because the original Evil Queen wasn't horrible or evil at all."
"Are you finally going to explain what has you so spooked from your little adventure yesterday?" Dexter asked while Darling turned to her older brother with wide eyes.
Daring pulled his plastic stool over so that he could sit between his siblings.
"Listen… there is… something you guys should know about… the Prince Charming of Snow White's tale." Daring said, sounding serious and sad, he seemed to deflate slightly, looking smaller somehow in his boxers and undershirt.
XXX
Raven peered down at her arms, the intricate designs of the henna paste traveling from just past the backs of her wrists, all the way around her lower arms, up the outer side of her upper arms, and stopping at her shoulder blades. She felt the dried paste crack and pull at her skin every time she moved.
"Nervous?" Faybelle asked holding out her decorated hands for the witch to see. The two of them were standing outside on the Thorn's castle's back lawn/private forest area where the temples were located as they waited for the priests to get things ready in the holy chambers. Over half the Thorn family was either there on the lawn or watching curiously from the sky or trees.
"A little." Raven admitted as she felt many eyes pass over her. "But mostly I'm relieved that this is starting."
"You love your people very much." Faybelle observed. "And you must love Apple as well to be going through all of this."
"I do." Raven sniffled, breathing deeply to get her emotions under control. "It's all for the best, a far better solution than what we had before. Prettier too." The witch giggled airily, looking herself over again. "I'm actually wearing pink and white! And it looks good!" She exclaimed softly looking at the her silver embroidered pink and white sari, matching veil, and the embroidered white band around her bust in awe, the way her skirt had been wrapped around her gave off the illusion of her wearing a decorative white skirt with a fat sheer pink sash draped across her left shoulder, the silver embroidery depicting sprigs of flourishing herbs, matching all the silver jewelry the witch had on.
We do look good." Faybelle admitted looking down at her embroidered green dress jacket and dark blue skintight leggings, both had similar designs to Raven's dress only with gold embroidery, and gold jewelry. "You should try wearing red and other colors of lipstick more often." The fairy said, capturing the witch's chin with her finger. "You look downright maidenly with brighter colors on."
"I'll give it a try." Raven huffed amused.
"My widdle witchling is getting married." A male voice warbled in the background before he yelped in pain when the person next to him smacked him on the back of the head.
"It's a token marriage you oaf. Gods I can't believe that I have such an emotional son, it's not like it's a regular marriage you big baby." Lady Good King snapped at her son causing the people in the surrounding area to turn their attention to them.
"But she's an adult now… my little princess is an adult and she's already doing grown up things… she's leaving me behind!" The Good King dissolved into tears not caring who was watching him.
"This is just a guess but… the Good King is more than just your temporary guardian isn't he." Faybelle said, her eyes widening as the man's mother cursed colorfully and started hitting her son over the head some more.
"Well… by the way your aunt had just made a comment about over emotional fathers to your mother I'm guessing the bat's out of the cave… he's… my biological father actually." Raven coughed half proud of the fact half embarrassed by the scene he was currently making. "I gotta go console him before gran-gran clocks his lights out. I'll see you at the alter!" Raven said over her shoulder as she rushed to the man's side. "Papa calm down! I'm not leaving you! Please stop crying!"
"She's kinda cute. You were right, she is very maiden like." Charlotte spoke as she came up beside her cousin.
"I thought that you weren't coming 'til tomorrow." Faybelle briefly turned to Charlotte with a pleased smile before turning back to watch Raven try to console her blubbering father while at the same time attempting to protect the man from his irritated mother. Maddie, Kitty, the Mad Hatter (who had come with the Good King's party), and even the Cheshire Cat (who had somehow smuggled herself out of Wonderland to attend as a surprise guest) all stood close by and watched the witch and her family fondly (in the Cheshires's case it was more morbid interest at the way Lady Good King was cursing and smacking her son but it was in a fond sort of way).
Charlotte smiled mysteriously. "I got special permission to leave for the weekend early, I had a special package that I needed to deliver and I was charged to personally make sure she was able to find her way here alright."
"You mean-?" Faybelle asked as her eyes widened but before she could finish a cloaked figure in a wheelchair wheeled themselves closer to the witch and her family before pulling down the hood of their cloak.
"Grandmother!" Raven gasped her attention turning to the woman who looked a lot like her, the same woman she hadn't seen in years.
"I'm cured little one." Elenore Queen smiled up at her granddaughter. "The curse is gone, I can touch you now."
With a joyful cry Raven threw her arms around the older woman and clung to her tightly, the elder witch seemed to revel in the ability to touch her granddaughter without pain.
Faybelle cautiously looked over to her mother, the Evil Fairy catching her eyes and allowing for a small smile towards her daughter, telling Faybelle that she was allowed to smile at this small act of good.