Despite being the most wonderful time of the year Vlad Chernobog was having quite a terrible day. He had woken up by the loud singing of one of his servants, a young girl from Ireland who only stayed in the estate for a month. He decided to punish her by making her go to the forest and chop 535 pieces of firewood and clean all the fireplaces in the house using only one piece of cloth and whenever she needed to get water she had to get it from the well that was around three kilometers from the main house.
After punishing the good for nothing farm girl he was then greeted by his moody son who just sat there moping like some woman that Lord Chernobog actually missed his estranged wife.
But apparently he spoke too soon as before lunch Cruella De Ville had arrived along with an intoxicating smell that spread throughout the house reminding Chernobog on why he was estranged with her in the first place.
"Nothing is going right in this house" Chernobog grabbed his coat and descended down the stairs.
"Why darling I just got here and you're already leaving" the woman was waving his pipe spreading whatever she was smoking throughout the halls killing plants wherever she passed.
The man did not even look at her "I have business to attend to in the office"
"Hmm, even during the holidays you work your men" Cruella stood behind her husband "And where's the boy, I have the urge to smother him"
"He is probably in his room" the man took his hat and his cane from his butler "How long will you be staying here?"
Cruella puffed her smoke "It seems like I'm simply a guest in this estate"
"You make it like that yourself" his butler opened the door and Chernobog steeped out "Though if it pleases you I shall return for dinner"
The woman turned her back on him seeing as he refused to look at her "Oh don't even bother, the last time we had dinner together it was when we burned down that restaurant on Bond Street"
When she got no reply she turned around to see that the butler had already closed the door "Now why did I even marry that man" she took another hit at her pipe "He couldn't even face me and now he walks away"
Bernice, the butler, an old skinny man whose skins was almost as gray as his hair and had several moles on his head, spoke to his mistress "Madam, you've had a long trip I suggest you take a rest"
"I can rest when I'm ready to rest" she climbed up the stairs and headed towards her son's room "Now is the boy really at his room?"
"As I am aware of madam" Bernice followed his mistress "I haven't seen the young master since we've had breakfast"
"I can clearly sense the Christmas spirit in this house" she scoffed and when she reached her son's room she gently knocked on the door with her pale hands. "Darling, your mommy's here why don't you come greet her"
There was no reply inside and she assumed that he wasn't inside and she tried knocking again "Come on boy, don't you even miss the woman who gave birth to you"
"Mother I'm right here" Hans spoke behind her mother.
This lead to Cruella jumping in shock and holding unto her chest with one hand and the doorframe with the other "Don't you jump up on me like that!" she scolded, she had even dropped her pipe in the shock.
"I am sorry mother but I was surprised to see you as well" Hans bowed "Did you just come in?"
"Why yes" Cruella bent down to pick up her pipe "And you father seemed ecstatic to see me"
Hans did not straighten up "He has some issues to take care of, he's been having an off day it seems"
"He always had an off day" Cruella beckoned with her hand "Now come on give mama a kiss, I haven't seen you in such a long time"
Hans then leaned over and gave a peck on her cheek, he wouldn't be surprised if his lips got a speck of the thick foundation she applies to her face.
"Now that's my boy" she patted her son and gave him a kiss on both sides of his face.
"So how long will you be staying?" Hans asked.
Cruella placed her hands on her hips "And why do you people keep on asking me that? It's like I'm some guest in a hotel and you're expecting me to stay for the weekend and if I do stay longer I'll have to pay an extra"
"Mother it is nothing like that" Hans held his mother's frail hand "It's just that you go on and about without any of us knowing"
She hummed "Well I do do that a lot" she raised her chin up "But I just get the feeling that I am unwanted in this house"
"Don't say that mother you're hurting me" Hans gave his million dollar smile.
The woman sighed still letting her son hold her hand "So, does your father's mood have something to do with a certain engagement?"
Hans dropped her hands and stared at her in shock "You got an invitation as well?"
Cruella brought something out from the inner pockets of her fur coat "Here, I just got it last week" she looked at the envelope "I was supposed to come home earlier but I wanted your father to cool down, it seems he hasn't"
"I don't think I could make it to their engagement party though" Hans composed himself "If father didn't tell you yet . . ."
"Don't worry I've been hunted by the police more times than you've ever been" she placed the invitation back on her pocket "And usually it's for the sake of those horrid animal rights and environmental activists"
Hans then recalled watching his mother on television saying nasty things to said activists, watching her do that always seemed amusing to him, his father was another story though.
"But then again nearly murdering a person weighs more than actually slaughtering a wild fox" Cruella reasoned "Not unless you could make the Vinterdotter's drop the charges"
"Mother that is highly unlikely" Hans spoke "I might be expelled from the school even with father's influence on the board"
Cruella crossed her arms "Well then, I'll have to speak with young Elsa myself"
/
"Mother are you crying while watching and knitting again?" Merida stood behind the sofa as her mother was getting emotional over an episode of Coronation Street. "Wait, why are they even showing that show on Christmas day?"
Elinor turned around to her daughter "Your father got me a DVD as a present"
The redhead face-palmed "Of course he did"
"Well I'm glad you're here" Elinor paused what she was watching "Where are your brothers?"
She pointed at their rooms "Over there opening their presents from Uncle MacGuffin and Uncle Dingwall"
"Didn't you go to Macintosh?" Elinor asked.
"They were busy clearing up the roads after the storm knocked a few trees" Merida was about to go to her room when her mother stopped her.
"Wait a minute" Elinor raised a hand "Who were you talking to in wee hours of the morning?"
Merida groaned "Do I really have no privacy?"
"Merida if who you were talking to was a boy . . ."
"Are we going to go there again!?" Merida raised her hands "Mother, I'm a legal adult . . ."
"Not in other countries" Elinor pointed out.
She rolled her eyes "Come on it's not like this was the first time I've been talking to a guy"
"In the wee hours of the morning?" Elinor stood up "And I remembered you saying you're going to do what with a desk?"
"You're already eavesdropping yet you got the conversation wrong" Merida placed a hand on her hip "Mother I'm not a child any more you don't need to monitor everything about me, yes I was talking with a boy and he's a friend"
Elinor groaned "This is why I didn't want you to study in America, you're now adapting western practices"
"Mother I've told you several times" Merida tried to be calm "Just because I have male friends does not mean I am automatically having sexual coercion with them"
"THEN WHY DO YOU HAVE A MAN'S CLOTHES IN YOUR BAG!" Elinor yelled back.
Merida paused for a moment, if she made a lie her mother would tell it immediately and if she told the truth her mother would most likely make her study in some community college nearby. "Well . . ." it was in here where her phone started ringing on the kitchen counter.
The two women looked at each other for a moment before they quickly raced for the kitchen and started wrestling each other for the cellphone.
"Don't answer it!" Merida tried to push her mother away.
"Are you hiding something from me?" Elinor said pushing her daughter back.
"If I said no you'd still want to answer it!" Merida managed to drag her mother to the floor.
"SO YOU DO!" Elinor tried to push Merida off of her.
"What is all this fuss?" Fergus said entering through the door at the kitchen "And what's that ringing?"
"DON'T ANSWER IT!" Merida screamed only to be too late, she cursed Macintosh for teaching her father how to operate a smartphone.
"Hello?" the man said answering the phone "Ah Merida . . . ok" he then gave the phone to Merida who got off her mother "It's for you"
The redhead quickly snatched the phone "Of course it's for me it's my phone" she then answered "Hello?"
"Hey Merida . . . was that your dad?"
Merida blinked "Tiana?"
"Tiana?" Elinor stood up and dusted her skirt "Don't lie to me girl that's a boy"
"A boy?" Fergus asked in confusion "Sounds like a really young boy to sound like that"
Merida looked at her mother "What's with your paranoia?" she then left the kitchen and headed for her room, locked her door and her windows and even looked under her things to see if her mother left some recording device or something. "Sorry about that but my mother is going ghost protocol on me again"
Tiana did a weird laugh "Well at least she cares"
"That's not caring she's holding me on a leash" she looked under her bed.
Tiana sighed "Hey have you heard about Eilonwy?"
Merida was poking the bottom of her dresser "Yeah, Arthur called me as soon as I got in here"
"OOOh" Tiana teased "So he called you first"
The redhead rolled her eyes "No he did not" well he did didn't he?
"Just kidding sheesh" Tiana laughed "Anyway, you plan on visiting her?"
"If I could get off the grips of my mother" Merida decided there wasn't anything her mother was using to eavesdrop "I had to wrestle her to get this phone"
"What? That's just crazy" Tiana shook her head "Maybe she was really bad at relationships when she was younger and thought she passed it on to you"
Merida landed on her bed "Odin forbid"
Tiana hummed "Then again, you and that guy from Dreamworks were a walking train wreck"
Merida blushed "Long-distance wasn't my thing ok?"
"And Mowgli" Tiana shook her head "He was a loss cause for you girl"
"You still hold that thing against me do you?" Merida groaned "Like you and Kenai were stable, unlike Phillip and Aurora you actually break up, several times"
"OK you got me shut up" Tiana frowned "Honestly can't you take a little teasing"
"No I can't" Merida placed her arm over her head "So how's your mom and New Orleans doing?"
"She's doing well, keeps saying I don't know how to set my priorities straight when I do" Tiana crossed her arms "And she's taking me to a play the Police Department is holding"
Merida quickly sat up "Oh, I'm such a galoot" she slapped her forehead "Was yer birthday yesterday?"
Tiana smiled "No it's actually today"
"Then Happy Birthday, woo!" Merida cheered "Finally got it right"
Her friend laughed "Hey have you heard from Anna?"
"She tried calling me this morning but I was talking to Arthur" Merida squinted her eyes "Don't start teasing me there"
"I won't, I'm just wondering why the police haven't started barging on his house or something" Tiana placed a hand on her hip "Is the justice system that slow?"
Merida shrugged "We don't really rely on a system in here, we put matters into our own hands"
"As expected" Tiana rolled her eyes "Well I gotta go, have to prepare lunch before mom stops me again"
"Sure see ya" Merida hung up and laid back on her bed again. "If someone calls me again today . . ." her phone rang again.
/
After ending her call with Merida, Tiana went on to cook a simple apple pie, sure it was her birthday but at least give her the dignity to man the kitchen. She was busy mixing when her mother had suddenly come in carrying two large books.
"Ma, what do you have over there?" Tiana asked looking over.
Eudora sat down on the dining table and placed the two large volumes there "Oh I just had the sudden urge to look over you baby pictures"
Tiana had almost dropped everything "WHAT?"
"Is there something wrong with that?" the older woman opened the first book "It's been awhile since I overlooked these"
"Ma" Tiana went over to her mother still carrying the bowl and mixing "What's with the sudden nostalgia trip?"
Her mother looked at her "Maybe it has something to do with this being your twentieth birthday"
"You make me sound so old" Tiana peered over her pictures "Look even then I knew that I wanted to be a chef"
"I told you, you have a one-track mind" Eudora turned to another page "You know I was planning on eating out"
"Ma . . ." Tiana whined.
"But I knew you wanted to cook and since it's your birthday" Eudora pinched her daughter's cheek "I decided to just let you be"
Tiana tried to wriggle out of her mother's fingers without spilling the batter "Ma, I'm still cooking"
She laughed as she let go "Alright I won't bother you now go finish whatever you're cooking" she then paused on a picture of James holding a seven-month old Tiana. "Too bad he couldn't see how you've grown . . ."
Tiana slowly went for the kitchen "Ma . . ." she said softly.
"Don't worry I won't cry" Eudora held the picture "I just miss him so much that's all"
"I do too" Tiana had stopped whisking "You know I do too"
It took a while before Tiana could make her mother let go of the photo albums. There was a reason why they hardly opened those things, it just brought in so much memories, no matter how long time had passed. She had finally managed to bake her apple pie and was about to serve it when there was a knocking on the door.
"Come in!" Tiana yelled holding the warm pie with her mittens.
That was when an obese elderly woman wearing a white dress and a turban with shades on her eyes and what seems to be a snake on her neck entered "Oh Tia ummhmm where is that nice smell coming from?"
Eudora helped the blind woman to the dining room and sat her down "Tiana just cooked up some apple pie"
"APPLE PIE!" the old woman exclaimed "Now why don't you give Mama some of that?"
Tiana chuckled as she got a knife to slice "Don't worry Mama Odie I'll be sure to make you have your fill"
"Don't forget to give some to Juju" she said petting the snake on her neck "If it weren't for him I would have fell of the steps over there"
"You ready to watch Ray's performance tonight?" Eudora said after they ate their lunch.
The older woman patted her belly "Of course I'm excited, I may be his godmother but he's almost like a son to me" she sighed "Such a shame my real one won't act like him"
Tiana decided to shift the topic "Mama, aren't you supposed to be delivering their costumes right now"
Eudora slapped herself "Oh dear I almost forgot about that, wait in here I'll get them ready we're going out!"
Mama Odie shook her head "My, she's still so young and her memory's fading away, and I'm 197 . . ."
"97 . . ." Tiana corrected.
"I felt I've lived longer than that" Mama Odie continued "Anyhow I'm still way older that you're mama yet I still remember the first time Elvis came here to New Orleans, and booooy was he gorgeous"
Tiana laughed as she proceeded to wash the dishes.
"So Tia" the older woman placed her bare feet on another chair "Seems like you've met someone special this semester"
"I've met a lot of people this semester" she then remembered what happened to Eilonwy "And one of them is in a coma"
"Oohh" the older woman nodded "Well I'm sure she'll recover, she's got a weird vibe around her doesn't she?"
Tiana nodded "Yeah, you'd love her if you met her" she remembered their encounter in the hospital "She used to ask me to explain incestuous love to her"
This made the woman laugh loud "Why that's my kind of girl, if she wakes up bring her to my tree and I might just give her a lecture she won't forget"
Eudora then came back pushing a rack of clothes with her "Come on you two let's go, hopefully we all fit in the car"
Later after several attempts of pushing all the clothes into the trunk of Eudora's Audi A5 they finally headed towards the opera house where the Police Department will be holding their Christmas performance.
"Oh Tiana I have a special present I'd like to give you" Mama Odie said as they stepped off the car "I didn't bring it with me cause I might drop it and I don't think Juju could hold it in his mouth for too long"
The younger girl waved her hands "Oh no, you didn't need to do that"
"Come on it's not only your birthday but its Christmas!" she sang the last word and turned around waving her hands "It'd be double jeopardy if I don't give you a present"
"Come on Tia help me with this thing" Eudora said trying to pull several garments from the trunk of her car.
"I'll be there in a minute" she turned to Mama Odie "Can you get yourself inside?"
"Well I'm sure Juju will guide me" she patted her snake "Won't you Juju"
The reptile did a nod and went on to make sure the old woman doesn't bump into a wall or fall into an open manhole, which actually happened one time.
"Do you need some help over there?" a young boy suddenly appeared beside Eudora.
"Oh thank you young man" the woman said giving the boy three pieces of clothes "Tiana grab these things too" she said giving her daughter another set of clothes "Now young boy go follow her into the opera house"
Tiana took notice of the boy "Ma, where did you get him?"
"He just magically appeared there and asked if he could help and I did" Eudora gasped "Oh dear one of the hats got ripped, you go on ahead I'll just have to stitch this a bit"
"Alright Ma" Tiana turned to the boy "Alright let's go in shall we?"
The boy nodded and they entered through the back door of the theater and Tiana lead him towards the dressing area just behind the stage.
"So tell me your name" Tiana asked walking towards a table where they were supposed to put the clothes.
"Ralphie" the boy answered.
"Thank you Ralphie" Tian grabbed the clothes from him and placed it on the table "That was very nice of you to help like that"
The boy nodded "My mama always told me to help those who are in need especially the women and the elderly"
Tiana patted his head "Well aren't you a sweet boy, you know what I'll give you an ice cream cone as soon as we get all the clothes here"
"Yay!" the boy leaped "Whoops I mean . . . uhh"
"Oh" Tiana pinched the boy's cheeks "No wonder you do that, you just wanna get an ice cream cone for a job well done"
/
"You're saying my wife is in a sanatorium!?" Archimedes Potter had almost choked on his barbeque spareribs and quickly gobbled a glass of water to avoid any unnecessary complications.
A plump lady wearing a purple coat and sunhat wiped her lips with some tissue "This shouldn't be a surprise to you, it's very well known that Annabelle had always had . . . strange behavior"
"My mother is not crazy!" Jane had stood up slamming her hands on the table making a few patrons in the restaurant they were in look. "I know she's been behaving quite out of character but . . . crazy?"
"I said nothing of that" the woman was Aunt Isabelle sister to Annabelle Porter who was Jane's mother and Archimedes' wife. "Just because one is in such a place does not mean she is crazy"
"I hardly believe they accept sane people in a place like that!" Jane was still standing up seeing as her father wasn't doing anything against it.
Aunt Isabelle placed her used napkin to one side "Your mother is not there because she started wearing her undergarments on reverse and started telling people in the streets that she was Mary Queen of Scots"
Archimedes was growing pale "Reversed undergarments?" his eyes widened "Mary Queen of Scots?!"
"Father she's just joking" Jane said trying to calm her father "Then why is she in there then, if she's even there to begin with"
"She's suffering from depression Jane" the older woman gestured "Now I suggest you sit down before one of the waiters start asking what kind of family fuss is going on in here"
"There's no family fuss going on anywhere!" Jane crossed her arms then took her leave "And besides I wanted to go to the loo"
"Fussy?" it seemed like it was Mr. Porter who was going crazy "Loo?"
Aunt Isabelle grabbed her cup of water and splashed it to her brother-in-law "Wake up old man, no wonder my sister's slowly going insane"
As soon as Jane reached the restroom she looked at her reflection on the mirror, her make-up hadn't been ruined but spending time with Aurora made her a little bit conscious on appearance and she needed to do something. She was wearing a gray sleeveless blouse and a white and gold knitted pencil skirt, her long brown wavy hair was straightened and she was wearing chocolate brown lipstick.
It was only here that she realized that she had left her purse and groaned as she exited the bathroom to go get it.
She was busy cursing herself for walking off like that without getting her purse when she suddenly collided with somebody else and fell to the floor landing on her butt.
"Oh I'm so sorry" Jane raised her hand and when she opened her eyes the first thing she saw were the burning red eyes of a dragon which jolted her "Oh my good . . ." that was when it suddenly disappeared.
Jane was still on the floor "What on earth . . . that can't be . . ." she shook her head "Oh dear maybe being insane is something genetic in our family"
"Do you need some help?" someone said offering their hand.
"Oh thank you" Jane took the man's hand and slowly stood up only to see who was actually assisting her "Tarzan!?" she would have fallen down again if the man hadn't caught her.
"Woah, are you ok?" Tarzan said holding her waist.
Jane spluttered "Well . . . I . . . this . . . is not . . . what usually happens"
"I see" the man then helped her stand up straight it was only here that he realized who she was "Wait a minute . . . Jane? Jane Porter?"
The girl just nodded, she cursed herself mentally for behaving like some virgin schoolgirl "Thank . . . you for . . . that"
"So you're having a Christmas dinner with you family too?" it was just weird how he looked good despite wearing a black suit and still sporting his signature dreadlocks.
Jane finally looked up "Yes, I just needed to re-touch my make-up because I needed to do something in the bathroom"
"Why do you need to do something in the bathroom?" Tarzan asked.
"Because my aunt Isabelle just told me my mother checked herself in some sanatorium in Mexico and well . . ." she cut herself when she realized what she was saying "Umm . . . I'm sorry you didn't need to hear that"
Tarzan had some expression in his face thought it wasn't disgust, it was actually pity "Wow that must be really hard for you"
"I don't think I believe it" Jane said looking down the carpeted floor. "My aunt tends to tell tall tales from time to time, like the time she claims she went out with one of Hitler's sons"
"Oh really" Tarzan scratched the back of his head "Hey do you mind if you joined me in the veranda?"
Jane's eyes widened "What?"
"Oh sorry must be rude of me" Tarzan waved his hand "You're still dining with your family so I'm sure . . ."
"No it's ok" Jane nodded "I don't want to go to my table right now, who knows what my aunt is going to say . . . oh dear my father . . ."
"Don't worry its ok" Tarzan assured her "You don't need to accompany me, Merry Christmas to you and your family" he said before leaving her.
Jane did a weak wave as he left her "Jane why do you always do this to yourself!" she stomped her foot only to sting when she remembered she was wearing heels "Oooohh, hopefully things don't get any worse"
She was headed towards her table when she suddenly felt colder than usual and the hair on her skin went up "What is . . ." she then turned around to see what she could say was the whitest person she had evenrseen, he was wearing a dark suit and for a moment Jane wondered if he was an actual zombie.
She rubbed her eyes thinking that she must be seeing things again and when she opened them she saw that the man was looking at her and she gasped at the sight of those yellow orbs starring into her. Out of fear she managed to quickly turn away from him and run back towards her table.
"What's with all this strange people I'm seeing" she shivered "Whoever that man is must be some . . . serial killer of some sort"
When she got back to her table she saw her father had been drinking too much Sherry again and Aunt Isabelle was just there shaking her head.
"Ah there you are" Aunt Isabelle said "I guess we better be leaving before your father here starts thinking I'm an orangutan or some other ape"
"Doesn't seem too far from that" Jane muttered as she took her coat and her purse from her seat.
Aunt Isabelle signaled for a waiter to help them carry the poor professor who was blaming himself for his wife's condition "It's was all my fault, mine mine and mine alone" the old man kept pointing at himself.
"Father, stop saying those kinds of things" Jane said as they waited for the valet to get their car "You know if mother just stayed at home for at least a week . . ."
Aunt Isabelle then spoke up "So you're saying she should be cooped up in the house?"
"I hardly even see her!" Jane argued "Isn't it the wife's job to be there for her husband, it's not only her who's stressing out"
"Jane you will never understand the complications between your mother and your father" Aunt Isabelle brought out her fan even though it was quite chilly then "Because you've never entered a real commitment"
Jane held her hips "Are you saying I have no suitors?"
The older woman hid her face behind the fan "Well . . . I don't see any young men visiting you in the house" she turned away from her "And men these days just avoid . . . bookish women"
The girl raised her finger "How dare you Aunt Isabelle . . ."
"Ohh . . ." Mr. Porter hiccupped "Why look it's the Cynyrs" the old man waved "Hello Ector!" he did not seem to mind that he was being carried like a sack of potatoes by one of the waiters.
"Father please" Jane decided to ignore her aunt.
There came a large man who had matching red hair and a mustache who approached Mr. Porter "Professor? Is that you Professor Porter?"
"Oh I'm not Professor Porter" the smaller man waved "I'm King Albert of Edinburg"
Sir Ector laughed "I see you've had too much Sherry again"
"Please excuse him" Jane bowed when someone approached Sir Ector and she knew him well. "Arthur?"
"Wart what are you doing here?" the large man turned around surprised "And where's Kay?"
Arthur replied dryly "He fell of the stairs and twisted an ankle while attempting to scare me with a goblin mask" he then spoke to the shocked lady "Oh hello Jane"
/
It was after dinner and already Anna was seen sleeping on one of the couches after playing with the children. They were currently in Professor Weselton's estate attending a Christmas dinner after the man's insistence.
Elsa was planning on having a simple dinner with just her sister but the man had been pestering for a week and from the way the man spoke it was as though she were to get arrested if she refused. She knew that was unlikely but she didn't know if the man was also under Chernobog's influence and decided to attend just to make sure.
"Oh yes I forgot to congratulate you on your engagement" the man raised his glass.
The platinum blonde gave a flat look "Thank you for the constant support"
"I just wish to remind you that you are no longer and eligible bachelorette" the man adjusted his monocle "Though it was quite suspected I still could not believe you're actually marrying young Arthur"
Elsa took a sip of her drink "He's actually older than me"
Weselton's brows were raised "Aren't you graduating earlier than him?"
"He enrolled later" Elsa finished her drink "Now excuse me it's getting quite late now and my sister is already asleep somewhere"
"Oh why so soon Elsa" the man had been spending the whole night telling him all of his accomplishments and how he respected her father during his term, Elsa suspected that the man was going to run for political office again. "I still haven't finished my story of when I was in Vietnam"
"As much as I want to hear that story" which she clearly did not "I best be going, you see we have a flight for London by tomorrow"
The man was still persistent "Oh I'm sure your fiancé could wait"
Elsa gave her glass to one of the butlers "Well I just miss him so much I couldn't even wait any longer, now excuse me" she said finally leaving the host and looking around the house just to look for her sister.
"Shouldn't have come here" Elsa muttered climbing up the stairs "It was only a waste of time" it took her a few more minutes before she was able to find Anna in one of the parlor rooms asleep on some chair.
"There you are" Elsa closed the door as she approached her sister "Anna, time to go" her eyes then went to her phone on the floor "Seriously Anna" she was about to close it when she noticed something on the pocket of the casing.
What's this?" she picked the photograph out of the pocket and took a look at it "How did Anna get a hold on this?"
She then looked at the back of the photo and her eyes widened "How did this" she looked at her sister who was starting to wake-up she quickly placed the photo back in the pocket and closed it before placing it on the table.
Anna groggily opened her eyes "Hey . . . are we going now?"
"Yeah, I'm getting tired of the people here" Elsa smiled "Come on let's go"
Her sister nodded and went to look for her phone before seeing it on the coffee table "Oh there it is" she then chased after her sister in the hallway "Hey Elsa wait up!"
They finally boarding their car and left the estate when Elsa spoke "Anna you better have you things prepared because we're leaving tomorrow"
Anna looked out the window "Hey Elsa . . ."
"Yes?"
Anna did circles on her lap "Do you remember our parents?"
"What do you mean?" Elsa raised a brow.
"I mean . . ." she stared at her lap "How they treated us"
"Where are you going in here Anna" she tried to concentrate on the road.
Anna kept looking down "I know that they're dead and it's disrespectful and all but . . . were they actually good parents?"
Elsa remained silent.
"When I was a child they provided everything I wanted and they wouldn't give a fuss, and if they didn't give me what I wanted I'd just throw a tantrum and they'd give it to me" she turned to his sister "I know this is probably normal childhood behavior but as I thought about it while reading the Veldt . . ."
"The Veldt?" Elsa asked.
"You know the one I was asking about last night" Anna then brought out the photo from the pocket of her phone case "The World that the Children Made"
Elsa went tight lipped.
"I came to realize why I kept reading it as a child . . . It basically shows what our family would be if they didn't die"
The car had automatically stopped making Anna almost hit the dashboard.
There was a silence before Elsa spoke again "Where did you get that photo Anna?"
Anna blinked before replying "In a journal Arthur gave me during the Secret Santa thing . . . I only read four entries if you're asking"
"I'm not telling you to stop reading" Elsa said robotically "If you read on you'll understand"
"You're not mad? You know for me hiding that kind of stuff from you?" Anna said softly.
"You're the one who should be mad at me" Elsa laid her head on the steering wheel "I've encircled you with a life of lies . . . it was just to protect you but I guess I'm starting to wonder what I'm protecting you from"
"Elsa don't say . . ."
The older Vinterdotter lifted her head "Anna, when all of this is over this issue over Hans . . . the Chernobogs . . . heck even with Arthur . . . I want us to just run away for a while"
"But you guys would be married by then" Anna reasoned "You have the responsibility to be his wife and . . ."
"Enclose myself in another spiral of lies by putting on the face of a loving wife?" Elsa shook her head "You know Anna you'll probably think I'm crazy by saying this now but . . . I always felt anger towards our mother and father"
Anna's eyes widened "What?"
"They basically had our lives in some large elaborate plan before we were even born, the marriage before inheritance was just a part of it" Elsa looked at the window at her side "Especially mother she always wanted us to be proper ladies and be some sort of symbol to upper class society . . . father just wanted power but unlike mother he was willing to wait"
"So you're saying . . . our parents . . ." Anna could hardly believe it, the people whom she had loved and respected for years and even considered martyrs "Were terrible?"
"They weren't like that, they were just ambitious" Elsa sighed "And it was because of this that it costed their life . . . and sadly ours as well"
Elsa started the car again "Anna, if we ever do make out . . . if you ever make out"
"Elsa you're sounding like you're going to die" Anna spoke in a worried tone.
"I want you to take complete advantage of your freedom, I want you to live your life and do what you always wanted to do, I want you to marry the man who would love you for who you are and you would love him for who he is" she smiled facing her sister "I want you to live for me"
/
Sir Ector Cynyr was the father of two children, one was of his own blood and one was of his own honor. It was already quite difficult for Ector to raise his son Kay after his wife had left him for some boxer from the north, so when he decided to be the legal guardian for a certain Arthur Pendragon following the death of his master he knew it would be an even greater challenge.
Even now that they were already legally adults Ector still gets quite irate at his sons antics, especially Kay who for some reason always ends up being brought in by the police at 3 am in the morning. Though both Cynyr's couldn't help but worry on Arthur when it was revealed to them that young Hans Chernobog was also studying at Disney.
Much to Ector's surprise it was even Kay who tried to convince Arthur to study in England instead, but the latter turned down the offer though thanked his foster brother for the concern. So after finding out the events that occurred in Disney recently Ector had almost locked Arthur in their apartment building and had only let the boy out after his friend Eilonwy got hospitalized under the condition Kay watch him.
So for the safety of all Ector decided to just take out their usual Christmas meal from their favorite restaurant (Scullery Maid was currently on sick leave). He asked Kay to help him carry the large pig but apparently his clumsiness didn't seem to go away any time soon.
"You know you could have just asked them to deliver it to the house" Arthur said as they were waiting for their order.
"I never trust those young lads delivering any food, there's always something wrong with it and it's tiring to order another one" Ector reasoned "And also why didn't you ask Hobbs to come?"
"If I recalled Thanksgiving didn't go that well" Arthur leaned back against his chair "And it involved someone choking on peanuts, and it wasn't Kay"
The large man became red as his hair "Oh would keep it down Wart" he then changed the topic "So you know Archimedes' daughter?"
"She's a junior of mine is Disney" the blond tapped his fingers against the armrest.
Ector nodded "So, you're really serious on that marriage to Lady Vinterdotter"
"I won't force it against her if she doesn't want it" Arthur looked at the large painting of a woman who was drowning in what seemed to be her own sin "I'll have to dig deeper into her father's will to find some loophole"
"Are you sure it's alright for you to go out" Ector had been scanning the area since they entered the restaurant "What if that man's men find you here"
"I don't think they'd kill me at once" Arthur faced his foster father "Though maybe a conversation with the man himself is more likely, especially because of tomorrow"
That was when their waitress came "Sir Cynyr?" she asked.
The said man rose from his seat "Yes?"
"Your pay please" she asked.
"Ah yes" the man quickly grabbed his wallet and turned to Arthur "But first have my son check the food"
"I assure you sir everything is fine" the woman stated.
"No, you see there's been some . . . difficulties that occurred last Thanksgiving and I wish for that not to happen again" he snapped his fingers "So give my son a fork so he could taste the meat!"
If they had been any other customer what they were doing was completely against company policy, but since Ector was not only a knight but very good friends with the owner they had no choice but to obey.
"Sometimes I think we're abusing Pellinore's hospitality" Arthur said as they were lead to the kitchen where he would taste everything.
"That man owes you more than he owes me so it's even" as they were making their way the hairs on Sir Ector's back suddenly stood up "What on earth"
Arthur noticed the man had stopped walking "Is something wrong"
"Go on ahead . . . I just needed a breather" the man lied.
Arthur gave one last look before heading for the kitchen.
Ector then turned the other way towards the private rooms it took a few more moments before he saw was the same burning red eyes that Jane had seen earlier "By Jove! He's actually here!" he then quickly ran towards Arthur.
While Ector did that Vlad Chernobog spoke "Why Shan Yu, that's a very convincing dragon tattoo you have"
By the time Ector had reached the kitchen he was panting quite heavily "WART TAKE THAT OUT NOW!"
The boy still had the fork in his mouth "Hmm?"
"I say we wrap everything now!" Ector quickly took out his wallet and dropped money on the table "There I want everything wrapped up quickly and into my car outside now!"
"But I didn't taste . . ."
"WE HAVE NO TIME!" the man yelled before grabbing the boy's hand "Do you have an alternative exit in here?"
While running towards the car Arthur pulled the fork out of his mouth "What is going on?"
"I saw that devil" Ector quickly pulled the valet off the car and entered dragging Arthur with him "He was talking to a man I thought would have been dead by now"
Arthur went serious "So he did send for an assassin"
"And a really rotten one too" Ector grit his teeth as he quickly stepped on the pedal of his Porsche Boxter and Cayman "That man is basically a barbaric Mongol version of Hannibal Lecter"
"He eats human flesh?" Arthur asked.
Ector nodded "Oh I remember ten years ago he took two of our men and let one of them one as Shan Yu, that's his name, skinned his comrade alive right before his eyes"
"That is serious" Arthur noted "But they're just talking right now, he couldn't have sent him to kill me at once"
"That's given us enough time to prepare" Ector clenched the driver's wheel "Tonight none of us are sleeping"
/
"St. Hugh's hospital" Taran told the taxi driver as soon as he landed in that Friday morning, it was still raining quite hard that day but it was normal in London.
After spending more than half a day on a plane Taran was quite disheveled, his hair was a total mess his polo shirt was drenched in sweat (he had flown economy since it was the only one available) and his pants felt really sticky after a baby next to him had spilled juice unto him.
"Is your missus having a baby right guvnor?" the taxi driver asked as the left the airport.
Taran ran a hand over his hair "No, I don't have a missus" he said.
"Well your girlfriend then" the man asked.
"Sir I'm really tired right now" Taran answered not really in the mood for another awkward conversation with the taxi driver.
"Oh rough flight huh?" the driver nodded "All right then why don't a play for you a couple of tunes to let you unwind"
Taran laid his head and closed his eyes trying to get at least a couple of hours sleep when the driver suddenly blasted 'Why Does it Always Rain on Me' by Travis.
"Kind of a fitting song aye?" the driver smiled.
Taran decided to shut up and be thankful that it couldn't be any worse before drifting into slumber. It was only when he opened his eyes again that they had already reached the hospital.
The boy stormed into the hospital holding his jacket and pulling two bags and approached the receptionist "Where's Eilonwy Llyr?"
The shocked receptionist typed her name in the computer "Umm sir, only close family members are allowed to visit" she looked up "What's your relation to the patient?"
"Umm . . ." Taran was at a loss for words.
"Let him in they're engaged" a man suddenly spoke.
The redhead turned around to see Geraint Llyr "Sir . . ."
"You can see her young man" the man gestured Taran to follow him in which he did "She had not woken up yet ever since the accident"
Taran tightened his grip on the bags "It's that bad huh?"
"The doctors have managed to save her from worse, though she may have to bear quite a scar on her head" they entered the elevator and Geraint pressed the 4th floor. "So how's your family doing?"
"Good, I got home ahead though" Taran said staring down the floor.
"She told me you had quite a disagreement" Geraint spoke "That's why you hadn't talked to each other since your Christmas break"
Taran gulped feeling quite guilty of himself "I could say it was my fault . . ."
"Well Eilonwy is a bright girl, but not so much with social interactions" the old man rubbed his chin noting how he needed to shave "You should know that seeing as you along with Arthur have been friends throughout most of your lives"
Taran remained silent.
"I don't exactly know the whole deal between your squabble with her but I think you should at least give each other another chance" the elevator door dinged "You were always someone special to her, she was quite sad in your absence"
"I'll take note of that" Taran said as they both exited the elevator.
It took them awhile before they reached Eilonwy's room "You should have taken at least a few hours rest"
"I just wanna what she looks like for myself" Taran said as they stood in front of the door.
Geraint then opened the door "Please step in"
Taran nodded and entered the room, it was a simple room with its four walls painted sky blue, a window on the right side and a couch on the left side. In the center of the room was a bed with white sheets and a girl with blonde hair surrounded by various gifts and card wishing her a quick recovery.
Seated on the couch was Eilonwy's mother Angharad (yes it was basically a given that they had weird hard to pronounce names in this family) who obviously hadn't slept well through Christmas as well. "Is that Taran?" her voice was tired from the stress.
Taran nodded "Yes ma'am"
The woman stood up from the couch and approaching the young man "My, you just got here and you're already so tired" she placed a hand on his face "You should have rested a bit before coming in here"
"I just wanted to see if she was ok" Taran turned to the girl who seemed to be sleeping peacefully, though there was a large bandage on the right side of her head.
Angharad still held his face "The doctors said she's far away from danger, she just needs to wake up"
Geraint closed the door behind him "All we have to do is wait"
"Wait huh?" Taran said absently mindedly "If that's the case I don't mind"
/
A/N: This was a late update because there was no electricity for a few days.
Thanks to Elefantia for following and favoring the story gave some motivation in writing.
Apologies if the last chapter felt a bit wrong in some parts cause proofreading is hard and I get lazy sometimes.
Anyway please tell me what you think in the reviews so I could know if I'm doing anything wrong, may it be grammar or the story itself.