Sorry for the wait, y'all! I've been coming down with a bit of a cold, but I'm feeling a bit better, so I decided to push on and finish this chapter haha. Hopefully the next chapter will be out within the week.

sonofyaoi Haha, I knew I'd get that reaction. He might just have a change of heart...but you'll have to wait and see! :P

DarkDeath000 Haha, I hope the date is to your expectations. It's not quite what I wanted, but I'm not sure what else I could have done to tweak it, soooo...I'll just leave it as it is.

pinksakura271 Yeah, Finn is really one of my favorites. Though I wish I could've use that "NO Finn" phrase, lol. I love it. Eventually, I'll be letting the other VKs into the story more and more, and you're going to get to see glimpses of their personalities. And Ella is quietly considering letting Mal or Ben know what's going on; Ben, definitely, at the very least. They aren't exactly close, but she still has known him since they were kids; going to birthday parties and all that. So she may trust him soon enough to tell him what's going down.

alexc1209 Yep. You're right on the mark with that one! Hans is definitely quite manipulative when concerning his daughter. But now that she's going to be seeing what Ella and her family are really like, well, she'll be quite intrigued at how they aren't like her father claimed...:P

Fall seems to have just arrived in Auradon; the leaves in the forest nearby the Prep school are turning into a thousand varieties of yellows, oranges, and reds, scattering themselves around the long, winding trail. Tiny pebbles and broken leaves crunch under Ingrid's feet as she leans against one of the giant trees near the entrance.

It's ten minutes to seven, and she's smiling to herself as she realizes how utterly easy it was for her to convince Ella to go out with her. The girl's barely known her a week, and already she's molded to want to go on a date. Perhaps not a hundred percent willingly, but it's close enough that she still agreed. Which is good, since Ingrid doesn't want to spend the majority of the year pestering the blonde to go out somewhere with her.

She expected Ella wanting to keep the whole thing under wraps, too. It seems that there are absolutely zero gay people at Auradon Prep – at the least, gay people who are out. Which bores Ingrid to hell and back; where's the diversity? Just about everyone is the same; perfect little princes and princesses, all wrapped up in pastel and makeup and utter goodness.

It makes her want to gag.

Yet, she can tolerate pastels on Ella when she finally arrives, riding on some dorky-looking periwinkle bike. The damn thing even has a tiny little basket on the handlebars, decorated with a big white snowflake.

"So when did Mommy get you that, your tenth birthday?" Ingrid asks, smirking a little.

Ella scowls, pursing her lips ever so slightly. "Twelfth, actually. And my uncle got it for me. He doesn't seem to realize that the target age for this bike is eight to ten year olds."

"Uncle?" Ingrid raises an eyebrow as Ella leans the bike on a tree across the path.

"Uncle Kristoff. He means well, but he's a bit of a dork. Well, a lot of a dork. Sort of like my Aunt Anna." Ella shrugs. She looks like she dressed up – an arctic blue dress that falls to her knees, powder blue heels, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick and gloss. She looks…well, Ingrid doesn't want to admit it, but deep down, she thinks Ella looks really hot.

Of course, she'd look hotter with all of that off. But that doesn't matter. Yet.

"My dad can be a dork, too. You know, when he's not trying to pretend he's still Prince of the Southern Isles. And when he's not remembering how your family fu—I mean, ruined his life." Ingrid shrugs. "No biggie. Mostly the dad kind of dork. You know how it is, right?"

Ella tightens her lips into a straight line, staring at a random spot behind Ingrid. "I never knew my father. He left before I was born. Or it was a fling. I…really don't have a clue." She certainly cares, however, from the sour look on her face.

For a moment, Ingrid almost feels pity for her, what with the look on her face. She decides to throw the girl a bone. "I never knew my mom, if that makes you feel any better. I just assumed she was some slut my dad decided to bone, and nine months later, perfection finally made its way into the world."

Before Ella can properly respond, Ingrid grabs her by the wrist, rubbing her thumb on the faint pulse there. "Come on. You wanted to go into the forest, let's go into the damn forest."

The blonde smiles just a teeny bit as they start to walk. Ingrid notices, amusingly, that when she doesn't let go, Ella doesn't tell her to do so.

"They don't have falls like this on Auradon, y'know. It's just…grey. Really rainy. Fifty shades of grey, probably. I never counted." The small talk Ingrid tries to make is uncharacteristically awkward of her.

Ella shrugs. "I like winter more. Don't get me wrong, autumn is great, but there's something about winter that's more enticing. Maybe it's how pure the freshly fallen snow is."

"The snow is always dirty by the time I get to see it." The redhead responds, not wanting to look directly at Ella anymore. She pulls away from her, stuffing her hands in her hoodie pockets (she feels overwhelmingly underdressed now – jeans, a hoodie, and scuffed boots are all she decided to wear).

"That must be awful. Snow is one of my favorite things." Ella chuckles a little. "Must get it from my mom…"

"Yeah."

They walk in silence for a good, long while. The crickets chirp, and some birds occasionally tweet, and the crunching of leaves beneath their feet is the only soundtrack they have. The sun sets completely and the moon is high in the sky when Ingrid finally decides to initiate another conversation.

"Auradon isn't really gay friendly, is it?" She asks, jamming her hands into her jean pockets now.

Ella's shoulders stiffen considerably at the question. "No. Not really. There's Merida DunBroch and her wife, but, well, they aren't really popular in the royal circle. I guess that's why." She kicks a rock across the pathway; it makes skittering noises as it bounces slightly.

"Her wife? She got married? I thought she hated marriage. That was sorta her whole shtick."

"No, not anymore." Ella shakes her head. "She met some common girl, the daughter of a really poor guy. Love at first sight, I guess. They've got three kids now, all triplets. I'm friends with two of them. I dunno how they managed that…"

"What would your mother do if she found out you were gay? How does she feel about Merida DunBroch?" Ingrid likes this, in a strange way; she likes being able to get under Ella's skin (and so easily, too).

There's a long pause; a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. Finally, Ella says, her voice scratchy with the promise of tears soon to come, "I don't know. I'm afraid to know. She said she'd always love me, but what if she hates me?"

"No one could hate you." Ingrid's response surprises even herself. Yet it managed to pop out.

"Thank you. That…that means a lot." Ella wipes her arm across her eyes, sniffling just a tiny bit. She turns her head slightly away as she does this, trying to hide it from Ingrid.

"Hey. You don't need to thank me." The green-eyed girl grabs Ella's wrists, twirling her towards her so they're face to face. "I'm telling the truth."

The princess is refusing to make eye contact with her; she's staring at the pathway, biting her bottom lip. The moon peeks through the trees, making her hair look like a glossy silver rather than the blonde hue it usually is. Her skin tone is even more prominent with the pale moonlight shining down; she's as white as snow.

She looks gorgeous.

"I'm sorry that you have to deal with this bullshit. If you were on the Isle with me, we could go anywhere we damn well pleased, and no one would dare question us." Ingrid smiles just a bit, letting go of one of Ella's wrists to cusp her face, letting the palm of her hand rest under her chin.

Ella gives the tiniest of hesitant smiles. "But we're not."

"Regardless. I don't really care whether or not we're in Auradon or the Isle of the Lost or anywhere else in the world. We could be together…it's not the end of the world if you're with me, princess. Actually, I might just make your world a million times better." She's stroking her thumb across Ella's jawline now, feeling the smooth, unblemished skin. "Consequences be damned."

Ella closes her eyes, showing the lightest brushing of light blue eye shadow across her lids. "I don't know, Ingrid…"

"Listen. No matter who you fall in love with, love is going to be cruel, and it's going to have its' sacrifices. Might as well let me be the one who entices you, the one who can really show you what it's like to live. I'm a thousand times more interesting than any princess in Auradon. Or any prince, for that matter."

A small sigh of content as Ingrid lets her fingers brush down to her neck, her exposed shoulder, leaving a trail of goosebumps on Ella's skin. "I…What if we get caught?"

"I won't let us. I lived on the Isle all my life; I know how to sneak around. And if they ever do find us…if they've got anything negative to say, they'll have to watch themselves, or else I'll make sure they pay." Ingrid's voice is low now, a husky murmur.

She can feel Ella hold her breath as her hand moves to cusp the blonde's chin and jaw once more. Finally, in a voice that Ingrid can barely hear, she whispers, "Okay."

"You're all mine now," Ingrid replies, letting herself press her lips up against Ella's – gently at first, but slowly becoming more possessive.

Mine. Mine. Mine mine mine. All mine. No one's going to let her say otherwise.

Especially not with the sparks she feels with this kiss. She's kissed boys and she's kissed girls, but not a single one of them have managed to make her feel like her heart has skipped a beat or two. It's electrifying. It's terrifying. And it feels so damn good.

She can feel Ella lean against a nearby tree, stifling a gasp as they reluctantly break apart, her eyes shining with…elation? Anxiety? Ingrid isn't sure. She doesn't really care.

"Holy smokes," Ella mutters, her eyes half-open, as if she's in a daze. And she might very well be, especially if that's her first kiss (which Ingrid is ninety-nine percent sure about).

She grins crookedly. "Felt good, didn't it?"

"Yeah…yeah, it did." The blue-eyed girl's voice is as light as a feather, throaty, like she hasn't used it for days.

"Good." Ingrid smiles, pulling away quickly. She can see the look of disappointment in Ella's eyes as she turns back around, starting to walk once more, towards the entrance of the forest. "C'mon. We've been out here long enough."

She doesn't have to see Ella's face to know that there's sorrow written all over it. "What? It's over already?"

"This doesn't have to be the only date we have, you know. Didn't we just have this conversation? I figured we were together now."

Ella walks up beside her again, and Ingrid can see that her face is a bright pink. "'Together'."

"Yeah, it's called dating. Ever heard of it? You get together, call each other girlfriends, hold hands, kiss, the whole shebang." Despite Ella's blatant nervousness, she laughs, jokingly pushing Ingrid lightly. "Thought you wanted to do that, princess."

Her face turns an even deeper shade of pink. "I…I wasn't sure at first. But I think I want to. As long as you didn't slip me a love potion or anything like that."

"No, I figured my devastatingly beautiful good looks and charming, sarcastic personality was enough to pull you in." Ingrid smirks. "Or the fact that I'm forbidden. That must have some sort of pull, too. The daughter of your family's worst enemy, destined to be apart, yet bound together by some sort of cosmic pull, almost like gravity…that's got to be appealing in some form, right?"

Ella glances up at the sky as they walk, wrapping her arms around herself. "I…I guess so. I mean…you seem sarcastic, and kind of mean, and you're probably no good for me, but…yeah. You pull me in. It's weird. No one else can do that."

Ingrid pauses, letting herself shiver thanks to the cool autumn air. "No one else can pull me in like you do, either."

Before they know it, they're at the entrance of the forest. Far away, Ella can see the security cameras at the edge of campus, and quickly, she moves several feet away from Ingrid, as if they can see all the way to the forest.

"I guess this is it for tonight." Ingrid says, folding her arms across her chest.

Ella nods, smiling just a tiny bit. "When do you wanna do this again?"

"Friday night?" She asks.

The blonde seems to be considering it for a moment before finally responding. "Yeah, that'll work. I don't have much going on then."

"Meet me right here, same time as tonight. I'll bring dinner or something."

She sees Ella grinning, and before she can turn around and leave, she feels the princess kiss her on the cheek, just for a split second. "See you later, Villain Kid." Ella says quietly, just loud enough for the both of them to hear.

"See ya, princess." Ingrid replies, giving her a flirtatious wink. She knows that Ella is expecting more, maybe another kiss or two, but instead, she turns around and walks off to the dormitories, leaving the blonde fairly disappointed, and most likely yearning desperately for more.

Just the way Ingrid wants it. Pull her in, but don't give her exactly what she wants all at once. Make her work for it. Make her beg for it.

Ginny is already asleep when she gets back to her room. Figures; she's obsessed with getting her beauty sleep. Ingrid snorts quietly to herself as she lies down on her bed. It's warm, and fluffy, and bigger than anything she's ever slept on when she was on the Isle of the Lost.

She knows that she shouldn't be feeling anything towards Ella. The girl is supposed to be everything that her mother is – cold and uncaring and cruel.

But she isn't. At least, she doesn't seem to be so. In fact, from the brief moments of time they've spent together, Ella seems…well, she has a bit of a snarky streak to her (who doesn't?), but she's warm, and funny, and caring, and everything her father claims she isn't.

Her father.

She thinks of all the little things her father has done over the years; the sneer whenever he recalls Anna and Elsa, the words of encouragement to Ingrid that felt slightly off, his refusal to allow her to interact with most others (and her breaking that rule in the night only a few years ago).

Then there was the last discussion they had together before she left for Auradon.

"You know that Queen Elsa's daughter will be attending the same school."

"I know."

"And you know that you will eliminate her, her mother, and the rest of their wicked family."

"Yes, Father."

"Make me proud, Ingrid."

"I'll…I'll try, Father."

"No. You will not just try. You will succeed. Westergaards succeed at all they attempt. Unless you're a good for nothing failure like my older brothers. And you aren't, now are you, Ingrid?"

Worry stabbed her in the stomach right then and there, like a dagger, digging in and dragging itself upward. She hated it, hated the feeling that her father could make her experience.

She swallowed, tilted her head up, straightened her shoulders, realigning her spine. "No, I'm not. I won't just try. I will succeed."

"Indeed you will. Now, go off to that school, and bring honor to your family name once again."

And, of course, there wasn't any other response she could use but "Yes, father".

Which is why she's here. There isn't any other reason. Of course not.

Ella is nothing more than a spoiled, petty little brat.

At least, that's who she's supposed to be.

Right? Right. She's just a brat. Nothing more.

This will all end in tragedy. Ingrid can feel it in her bones.

"And where have you been, young lady?"

The hairs on the back of Ella's neck stand up as she walks into the castle. Her mother is standing near the grand staircase, looking awfully suspicious, with her arms wrapped around her chest and a look on her face that says 'You better not lie to me, Elisabet Annelin'.

Which she'll have to do. She doesn't like doing it, and she's hardly ever done it before, but, well…she can try.

"I was out studying. With…err…Finn and Merin. We have a big test coming up." Ella rubs the back of her neck, avoiding her mother's piercing stare.

"You never use that bicycle. You always tell me when you're leaving. Kristine and Anders didn't have a clue where you were at, and I was worried sick. Elisabet Annelin, I know that you didn't go study with Finn, because Kristine was out with her all evening." Elsa's eyes narrow. "Think twice before you try and lie to me again."

Ella bites her lip, still avoiding her gaze. She can feel her palms getting sweaty. But there's something in her that makes her use an excuse she's never planned on using. "I'm going to be the Queen of Arendelle in a few years, Mother. I don't have to tell you everything. I'm not a child anymore."

She tries to leave and go straight to her room.

Of course, she fails.

She can feel her mother grab the back of her dress – not too tightly, but enough to know that she means business. "You may be a Queen one day, but I'm still your mother, and I have a right to know where you are and what you're doing. So you either tell me what you're hiding, or I ground you for the rest of your life."

"I was on a date, okay!?" Ella snaps. "I was out on a date with someone, and it was nice."

She can't see it, but her mother's eyes widen, and she loosens her grip considerably on the back of her dress. "…With who?" She finally manages to ask.

Ella blurts out the first name to come to her mind, because she isn't stupid enough to confess she was out on a date with Ingrid.

"Merin DunBroch, Mom! We went out on a date, and it was in the forest near school, and it was wonderful. So there. Now you know my dirty little secret."

She spins around to face her mom, half expecting her to go and call Merin for confirmation and half expecting her to disown her on the spot. But instead, she sees her mother, looking not nearly as upset as she thought she'd be.

"You're gay?"

"Yes. Yes. I'm gay. Gonna disown me?" She's being irrationally hostile, and she knows it.

Elsa shakes her head immediately. "No, of course not. You're my daughter. I don't care if you like boys or girls, as long as you're happy."

But you wouldn't be happy if I told you the truth.

Ella forces herself to smile as her mother pulls her into the longest, tightest hug they've had for quite a while. She awkwardly hugs back, not knowing what to say for a few moments, before she finally says, "Mom, I'm just…can we talk about this in the morning? I'm really tired, and I just wanna go to bed."

"I…okay, honey." Elsa pulls away, cups her face for a moment and smiles. "Promise me you won't keep secrets like this again, alright?"

"Alright, Mother." Her heart is breaking in two, knowing that she's lying straight to her face, but it's for the best. It'd be better if her mom just believed the lies.

They exchange pleasantries, and Ella swiftly goes to her bedroom, locking the door behind her. She sighs again, burying her face in her hands for a moment, before grabbing her cell phone, perched precariously on her nightstand.

She calls up Merin, knowing that there's going to be hell to pay.

"Merin? I'm going to have to ask you to do me a huge favor…"