I am exhausted. Utterly, completely, wholly exhausted. Christina wrote in her diary by the light of a single candle after curfew. Classes are to go back to normal tomorrow. I am not ready. We're going to begin training for the trial in Woods Survival alongside the prep for the winter Ball in most other classes. I can't. It's too much. I feel I'll never learn it all but of course, I don't tell anyone. I don't want to be a burden.
Today, Melinda, Shaggy, and I tried dancing again. I'm very sure we sounded like a stampede with the way we clumsily clomped around my room. Melinda's also trying to help me learn my magic, she says I'm very good with plant magic, flowers especially, I turned a red rose blue, then purple then it got stuck between purple and black so the base is a plum color and the edges of the petals are black. No matter what I tried I couldn't get it back to normal. Melinda says it looks cooler this way but that's not the point of this exercise. Color-changing and levitation are supposed to be the easiest things to learn but I just can't grasp it!
How am I EVER going to do well in the trial if I can't even get the basics of magic down?
Christina shut her diary, looking at the multi-colored rose on her desk with a frown. Behind her, the wolves slept dog piled on top of each other and Shade snoozed comfortably on his new perch but she was still wide awake. Worrying. Rising from the desk, she went back to her bed, left only minutes before, pulling the covers to her chin trying to stop her trembling. If she closed her eyes tightly she could just see Rosella in her rocking chair.
Slowly, quietly, Christina began to sing an old lullaby. The last one she had sung before arriving at the school.
"Constant as the stars above
Always know that you are loved
And my love shining in you
Will help you make your dreams come true
Will help your dreams come true
The lamb lies down and rests its head
On its mother's downy bed
Dolphin plays in the moonlight's glow
And butterfly dreams of a violet rose
Dreams of a violet rose
I'll cradle you in my arms tonight
As sun embraces the moonlight
The clouds will carry our songs tonight
Our dreams will run deep like the sea
Our dreams will run deep like the sea
Constant as the stars above
Always know that you are loved
And my love shining in you
Will help you make your dreams come true
Will help your dreams come true
With her back turned to the window she didn't see how one rose became a bouquet or how wild roses redder than blood encircled the windowsill.
...
"The Trial By Tale is a school tradition a chance to put your skills to the test," Ella wrote on the blackboard in the intro to Good the next morning, "An event founded on the rules of good and evil. You are all encouraged to use your talents, companions, and any weapons training you might have to outsmart your evil peers but if at any point you wish to forfeit just drop your red handkerchief on the ground and you'll be instantly transported out, the same will happen if you're badly injured so don't fret"
An audible sigh of relief could be heard from some daintier classmates.
"What if there's a tie?" Nora raised her hand curiously.
"There has never been a tie so I'm not sure but you needn't worry it's unlikely there will ever be one"
Christina kept her head down, scribbling notes, her face expressionless as she thought Unlikely does not mean impossible.
...
Much to Googie's ire, Witch Hazel's classes had resumed. Come second period she was back at a cramped desk trying to keep the fire-breathing toad stench from her nose. Her uniform was back to normal, contorting it to a dress hadn't lasted very long, the fabric was too itchy, too bulky the folds she had spent hours making the day of the fire had swiftly come undone. It had all been in vain anyway. Christina was still at the wrong school and that wimpy prince was too far up her backside to notice how ugly she truly was.
Besides, there had to be a better prince. Better looking, a better kingdom, wealthier, one who wouldn't snub her looks, who would see past her predicament. Someone to fight for the switch as hard as she was. But, which one? There were so, so many to choose from.
"Are you paying attention you insufferable excuse for a witch?" Hazel smacked her wand so hard on Googie's desk that the toad sat there and belched flames that Googie barely dodged.
"What's the point?" Googie challenged snidely, "These things don't listen," she glanced at Crow across the way, screaming at her toad to do something, anything to no avail.
Hazel grits her teeth together, "That Princess you're so fixated on could do it, so why can't you?"
"I'm the Princess!" Googie argued, "Christina wouldn't come within ten feet of these things anyway"
Now, the entire class looked on with rapt attention. Was Hazel going to explode again?
"Is that a challenge, Miss Hale?"
"So what if it is? Christina wouldn't help you"
"Hmm,"
All those assembled jumped. Maleficent stood in the classroom doorway with a gleam in her eye, "Christina's quite fond of animals, she doesn't judge on appearances alone unlike some"
"She won't touch these things"
"Let's put that to the test then I'll be right back"
Maleficent disappeared in a burst of green flames only to reappear with her arm around Christina's shoulders. Googie rolled her eyes. Christina was in yet another pastel dress with a stupid tiara on her head as if she didn't have horns and those new, awful ugly wings. An evil fairy if Googie ever saw one. What incensed Googie more was how all around her the other students leaned in to loudly whisper how Christina looked very much like both headmistresses the words beautiful and pretty making the rounds. It didn't matter if they were said with sneering malice.
"QUIET YOU WELPS!" Hazel barked silencing the din.
"What was it you wanted me to do?" Christina asked the witch respectfully.
"Would you care to hold one of the toads, Princess Christina?"
"Sure"
'they're slimy
"It's okay"
"they smell rancid"
"Alright"
"It could belch fire at any moment"
Christina shrugged.
"Oh, cut the act!" Googie growled, her eyes shifting colors so briefly no one noticed.
Christina shrunk back, biting the inside of her cheek.
"Pay her no mind," Hazel brought Christina over to her desk, lifting the toad sitting there, "This is Chadwick, my toad, still want to hold him?"
"Yes, please"
"He'll ruin your lovely dress"
"Just a dress"
"Okay then"
Hazel settled the bulbous croaking creature into Christina's arms.
"She'll drop it and run away screaming,"
The class waited for her to do just that but Christina remained calm, gently running her fingers over the toads' lumps and bumps. She hadn't understood what Maleficent was up to when she appeared in the middle of the discussion about common animals found in the blue forest. She still didn't but she had read about fire-breathing toads. They were a slow placid species favored by witches for their companionship but they had to be tamed. Even when Chadwick belched fire her grip never faltered. It was only a minute and a half before Hazel took Chadwick back but it was the longest minute and a half of Googie's life.
"He doesn't repulse you?"
"No, he can't help how he looks, thank you for letting me hold him Ms, Hazel," Christina smiled as Maleficent cleaned her dress with a wave of her hand.
"A truly respectful royal, I haven't seen one of those in years," Hazel remarked
"Come on Christina," Maleficent smiled triumphantly, "Let's get you back to class"
"Princess," Hazel was enjoying the look on Googie's face, watching from the corner of her eye.
"yes Ma'am?" Christina turned.
"Would you like one?"
"Hazel," Maleficent warned.
"As if I'd try to hex your granddaughter," Hazel laughed at the thought. A small cage with a baby toad appeared in her hand, "No, I quite like her as a matter of fact"
"May I, Grandmother?"
"If you want it you may have it"
Christina took the cage with a smile, "Thank you ma'am"
"You're quite welcome"
Googie scowled as Christina disappeared.
"Oh, I like her," Hazel grinned wickedly.
"See? Then she should be he-"
"Can it, she's dripping in goodness but she's respectful unlike you lot"
Googie was fit to pull her hair out. This was madness! Pure, insane madness! Didn't anyone see her plight? The bell gonged, and the other students filed out as the classroom made the switch to basic magic. Googie scoffed.
"True villainy respects their foes to some degree," Hazel continued despite the class change, "Believe it or not you're equals, two sides of a coin, the world in balance but it seems they've forgotten that, about the same time that we started losing the trial as a matter of fact," the witch took a deep breath, "Pair off, it's time we start honing those abilities"
Googie stubbornly stayed where she was with her nose in the air.
"Three, Two, One and begin"
Because Googie was un-paired she became the target again. Yet again, diving under the desks and behind chairs only to have her hiding places destroyed. Hazel banged her wand angrily against the desk.
"Defend yourself! You'll fail the trial if you act like this!"
Finally, backed against a wall, Googie threw her hands out only to have explosive ice shoot from her palms, nailing her classmates to the opposite wall.
Raising her eyebrows in surprise, Hazel went to the classroom bookshelf and pulled a small spell book from it. Like Christina's spell book t, his was meant to teach small children their magic but this one focused exclusively on snow and ice magic.
"Study and you might survive," Hazel thrust the spell book at Googie.
"I don't want it"
"Too bad, it's your homework and you'll be cleaning the bathrooms unless you do it"
"I. Don't. Want. It!"
Hazel forced the book into Googie's hands, "Did it ever occur to you that princesses are more than capable of having magic? So find a new excuse you wimpy witch or you'll be spinning straw"
"Huh?"
"Just you wait"
...
Christina sat on the picnic blanket, staring hopelessly at the water a little while later. It was time for her fifth-period magic lessons. The air had a slight chill to it, a few leaves drifting from the trees.
"Christina," Alissa touched her shoulder lightly, guiding her attention back to the task at hand, "Let's try again"
Trying her best to keep from trembling, Christina lifted her wand, pointing it at the small rose she had just barely managed to open. Slowly, the red petals became pink, then white then blue followed by purple.
"Keep going," Maleficent encouraged.
"I...can't," the magic died out, the rose reverting to its original red color and snapping closed.
"Oh, sweetheart it just takes practice, you'll get it" Alissa smiled
"I can't..."
"Not yet," Maleficent corrected, "You can't do it, yet but you will"
No. i don't think so.
"Try again"
Again and again and again. Over and over until the chimes sounded for lunch. On the brink of tears, Christina sluggishly made her way to the lunch area, slumping under the tree with a basket in hand to wait for Shaggy and Melinda.
"Hey," Shaggy greeted, "What's the matter?"
"I don't want to talk about it"
"Ah, magic lessons," Shaggy opened his basket, "Do you want my ice cream? It's chocolate"
Christina leaned heavily on Shaggy, holding her hand out.
"Here you go," Shaggy handed her the glass dish of ice cream while she handed him the strawberries from her lunch.
"What kind of a swap is that?" Melinda arrived.
"The kind that cheers her up after magic lessons"
"Thank you," Christina managed around the spoon.
"You're welcome," Shaggy smiled, "I was like, going to practice archery after school today and I was wondering if you could like, keep me company?"
"I'd love to"
"I'm going for a broom ride to Bookend with Dalton do you guys want me to pick up anything?"
"No, I'm good"
"Me too"
"So you both ready for dance lessons today?"
"Nope"
"Like, not a chance" Shaggy had just pulled a roast chicken leg from his lunch basket only to have it swiped.
"Yum," Crow cackled from the branch over their heads, devouring the food in one gulp, "Thanks, Shaggy"
"What the hex do you think you're doing?" Melinda tried to jump to her feet only for Christina to force her back into the grass.
"And since sharing is the cousinly thing to do," Crow continued to laugh, tipping her bowl of gruel over.
The trio scantly dove out of the way, lunch baskets abandoned.
"That thing is your cousin?" Melinda hissed in disbelief.
"Distant cousin," Shaggy nodded.
"Thanks," Crow jumped from her perch grabbed the baskets, and scampered away.
"I'm telling..." Melinda hangrily grumped.
"Stop," Shaggy grabbed her elbow, "You'll only make it worse"
"Speaking of worse.." Christina squeaked, ducking behind Shaggy.
Googie, looking bedraggled and angry had arrived. With her robe bunched in one hand, she stomped to the princess table, ripped, Apple from the prime spot, and sat down with her stolen basket, murdering her cucumber sandwich.
"Hexscuse you? That is my seat," Apple jumped to her feet.
"Listen here you primped, pompous, prissy princess," Googie growled, "I was attacked by tadpoles in ugly class! I will sit wherever I please today so just deal with it!"
"Who do you think you are?"
"Who do I think I am? At least I'm not the girl who's mother choked to death on an apple"
"You take that back!"
"Make me"
Apple's hands shook at her sides only to still, a calm smile sliding onto her face, "Why bother you can't even get a boyfriend"
Googie stood up, staring Apple down murderously, "I can have any boy I want, including Daring"
At this Apple laughed openly, "Oh, please, I'd like to see you try"
"You're on"
'This is going to be one spectacular disaster, Melinda whispered to Christina.
"Uh-huh," the trembling hybrid agreed.
"Hey, it's okay, Christy," Melinda caught sight of the panic on her friend's face, "We won't let her hurt you again"
Christina didn't respond tracking Faybelle's movement with her eyes. Her cousin was glowering at her, no doubt scheming.
I don't know which one of them is worse.
...
Melinda was cramming the last of her sandwich in her mouth as she and Christina arrived in the Princessolgy classroom where, Aurora, the musicians and, the boys waited. Apple looked completely back to normal, unbothered, unfazed by her lunchtime standoff. With a falsely sweet smile, she skipped to Daring's side.
"Ladies, please find a partner so we can begin," Aurora smiled.
Wiping the rest of the crumbs from her mouth Melinda stepped up beside Dalton. One by one the girls found their partner. All except Christina because Shaggy was not there.
"Aww," Apple whispered, "Poor thing, not even Shaggy wants to dance with her. Ah, it's for the best"
Christina took a seat in a shaded corner to hide her stressed tears. Shaggy had just been at lunch. He'd parted ways with them only to walk with the rest of the boys. Had he really run off? When the music started, distracting the rest of the class, Christina slipped from the room, desperate to be alone in the fresh air, rushing down a side hall she tried to keep from crying only for a sob to force its way out. Out into the sunshine, past the school gates, deep, into the blue forest she ran only stopping when she tripped tearing her dress, knees hitting stone. So far from the school, she let herself cry, wailing horribly everything crashing down on her. All the years of bullying, the stress of trying to adapt to this new realm, trying to fit in, to go unnoticed, her failed magic lessons, and worse dancing skills. Now, now, her friend had run off too embarrassed by her to risk dancing in front of their peers.
Why did I even try?
Eventually, her tears ran dry. Able to take a breath she managed a look around finding she knew this place. Directly in front of her was a smooth black stone with silver streaks. The sword Caliburn waited within like Excalibur, before it. No one knew who forged it, many whispered magic itself. The sword appeared after the great war between the brothers Grimm. Many a prince had tried to pull the sword from the stone, sometimes multiple times a day as it was common among the boys but the sword remained where it was.
Curling her knees to her chest, Christina studied the sword, shining in the sunlight,
Is it humming?
There was a faint noise, one that grew louder now that she heard it. Intrigued she stood, slowly nearing it...
Shade burst from the trees, flying frantically in front of her face as if scolding her for running off. Sword forgotten as she worked to soothe her frazzled pet. Once calm they moved even deeper into the woods.
The farther I get from school the better.
...
"What do you mean Christina ran off?" Alissa's eyes flashed dangerously from behind her office desk, quill frozen in hand dripping ink on the parchment.
"The class wasn't evenly numbered so Christina sat out but when I looked back her desk was empty and the door was open"
"Wasn't evenly numbered? That's not possible..."
"Well, Norville didn't show up"
"And you didn't think to have someone look for him, Aurora?"
"I-I thought he was in the nurses office, the poor boy does seem to get injured every other day"
"I need you to leave before I do something I'll regret"
Aurora scurried out of the office just as Radu flew in.
"Vhat do you need?" he rushed to his wife's side, the picture of calm but on the inside, he was itching to grab a sword and cut down whatever vile scum had made off with his daughter.
"You find Shaggy, I'll find Christina"
Radu nodded with a quick reassuring squeeze he was back out the door heading for the lawn. Meanwhile, Alissa hurried up the steps to the upper floors. They were silent undisturbed since breakfast that morning. I knew something was wrong this morning! She fretted bypassing the parlor, the upper library, and the dining nook to Christina's room finding it too was empty. The bed was crisply made, and books were piled on the bedside table. Christina's diary waited on the desk alongside her open sketchbook.
"Oh..." Alissa tentatively neared the window wrapped in magic-dusted roses but the vase full of multi-colored blooms grabbed her attention She doesn't realize how talented she is. Alissa's eyes drifted from the flowers to the sketchbook finding a drawing of a rundown cottage covered in cascading vines with a bowed porch on the page marred with teardrops that told a story no words could.
Where would Christina go?
Alissa remembered the fantasy she'd asked her mirror for, days before. The image of a preteen Christina reading in the blue forest surrounded by animals flashed in her mind.
Of course.
...
Christina walked on, uncaring how deep she went. The trees with sunlight spilling through their steadily falling leaves was a calming sight, a beautiful one but she found herself longing for the gnarled weeping willows that surrounded Rosella's cottage which led to thinking about how her mama might have liked the forest. A stray tear slipping down her cheek she found a shady tree, settling under it.
"Now is the hour when frogs and thrushes
Praise the world from the woods and rushes
Sleep, my love
Sleep, my only
Deep in the dark
Fragile and magical shadows
Silently start to appear
Lovely and lyrical, silvery miracle...
A shrieking bird call made her stop. Recoiling Christina bit her cheek as a monstrous bird clambered through the trees. All bones and black feathers with intense yellow eyes. The thing easily towered over her, its head rising to the tops of the tallest trees. The thing made a clicking noise, sitting across from her pensively, cocking its head to the side. The bird had startled her so suddenly that Christina couldn't recall the rest of the tune but it was obvious that the creature wanted to hear her sing so she changed songs.
"How very special are we
For just a moment to be
Part of life's eternal rhyme
How very special are we
To have on our fam'ly tree
Mother Earth and Father Time
He turns the seasons around
And so she changes her gown
But they always look in their prime
They go on dancing their dance
Of everlasting romance
Mother Earth and Father Time
The summer larks return to sing
Oh, what a gift they give!
Then autumn days grow short and cold
Oh, what a joy to live!
How very special are we
For just a moment to be
Part of life's eternal rhyme
How very special are we
To have on our fam'ly tree
Mother Earth and Father Time"
...
No sooner had Shaggy been cut from the restraints Faybelle had ensnared him with did he race into the blue forest. His heart twisted, splintering at the sight of a sobbing Christina racing by him. Convinced she'd been stood up. Too lost in her emotions to see him or her cousin hidden in the trees. He had to find her. Find Christina and make this right.
...
"Is this your nest?" Christina looked at the towering bird curiously, "I do hope you aren't planning to eat me"
The bird made a clicking noise that Christina figured was a laugh as it lowered its beak to nudge her closer. The walls of the nest were so big that she had to gather her torn skirt and clamber awkwardly over it to the person-sized eggs that lay within. Their smooth gray surfaces covered in black specks. The bird followed into the nest settling down to watch her babies with a coo.
"They're beautiful eggs"
"Christina!"
The color drained from the teen's face, "I don't want to face anybody yet"
The bird lifted its wing, inviting Christina to hide. Sufficiently covered by the bird's feathers, she leaned against the creature, a quiet yawn escaping her. A nap was a good idea. So she fell asleep only to be nudged awake sometime later, chimes in the distance signaling the change of class.
"I think I might call you Amber, that's the color of your eyes," Christina looked up at the bird smiling at her, "Do you like that?"
The creature nodded.
"Do you think you can show me where my group is?"
Amber nodded again, carefully taking Christina in her talons she flew them over the tops of the trees, landing far enough away to hide from the students but close enough that Christina could rejoin her class.
"I'll visit later"
...
Christina had scarcely emerged from the trees before Maleficent fiercely crushed the girl against her. A sight that made Googie gag with revulsion. An action mimicked by her evil peers while Apple rolled her eyes, Melinda's face flooded with relief alongside Dalton and Shaggy scrambled forward with a flood of apologies but he was sent back in line by a withering look from their dark fae teacher.
"Are you okay?" Maleficent asked frantically, "Are you hurt?"
Christina's voice was muffled. Maleficent released the teen, looking her over. Immediately spotting the tear that exposed Christina's bloody leg, long since dried. Gently, she healed the injury, mending the tear in the dress.
"Some princess," Googie snarked, "The picture of beauty and grace itself"
"Leave her alone!" Shaggy growled.
"Or what, wolfie?"
Shaggy transformed. Claws extended ready to strike only to be frozen in place by Maleficent.
"SIT DOWN, BOTH OF YOU!" she thundered, "It's time for Trial prep!"
The rest of the period passed in a barrage of knowledge of plants, animals, tricks, and traps rules (Of which there were few) like, No killing, No leaving the forest unless you formally give up; and no outside help. Throughout this, Googie glowered at Apple, plotting. Oh, to wrest Daring Charming away from her. To ground the princess's face in the dirt. She would see! They all would. That Googie was the real Princess. The perfect one for a prince as perfect as Daring. She relished the thought. With Daring at her side she would be adequately protected in the Trial, the perfect opportunity to show them all where she truly belonged! This thought was enough to carry her through the tiring chores, the back-straining labor of cleaning the floors with a toothbrush, dusting the evil library, beating rugs stirring gruel but it was when they wanted her to clean the bathrooms that she lost it, chucking the bucket of mop water at the goblin who'd brought it to her.
"I refuse"
One of the nearby guards seized her by the arm, dragging her to a classroom she hadn't yet seen where a small man with a thick beard counted gold.
"She's all yours Professor Rumpelstiltskin"
"Ah, Zhe New Witch! Spin straw! Go! Go!"
"No"
"No choice!" the teacher waddled to the door, locking it behind him.
"I am not doing this!"
Gathering the piles of straw she braided it into a rope and tossed it from the window swiftly escaping to the side yard where Daring was practicing archery alone, half distracted by his hand mirror, making it exceedingly easy to sneak up on him.
"Hello, Daring, what are you doing?"
"Practicing my archery for the Trial, not that I need it, want to watch?"
"I'd like to try"
"You can't shoot"
"Why not? Because I'm a girl?"
"No, because you're a Never, if you're pure of heart your arrow will hit it's target if not, well..."
"Oh, I'm not a Never, Daring, I thought you knew that?" Googie took the bow from his hands.
Daring rolled his eyes in amusement, "Well then," he stepped behind her adjusting her posture while she smiled adoringly at him, "It does help if you look at the target"
Googie's eyes turned the color of pitch as she loosed the arrow, a sickly cold magic driving it through the target to the other side.
"Beginners luck"
But, Googie repeated the feat with every arrow she was handed until the target toppled.
"Told you so," Googie giggled flirtatiously batting her once again blue eyes.
"You are an Ever, let's hang out"
Over the next few hours, Googie spun heavily embellished stories of home, of the villagers, and of Christina. Only further drawing the prince in. In his eyes, Googie was a hapless soul, mistakenly placed, completely undeserving of such an experience. And Daring would know. After all, Googie was gorgeous, a princess if he'd ever seen one and he had seen plenty. All she really needed was a friend, a prince to step up, to fight for her. Daring would do that. Years from now after many a conquest children would still beg to hear how he'd rescued the misplaced princess. He would stroke his mustache, draw them onto his lap, and tell the story again. He could just hear them cheering his name now.
What he really heard were Apple's shrieks from the window.
Googie smirked triumphantly at the gobsmacked princess, leaning into Daring's embrace as she kissed him.
I win.
...
Googie was still on cloud nine when she arrived to Intro To Evil the next morning.
"Take your seats and shut up, you brats! Class has started" Prof. Yop barked. Then in a more pleased, almost excited tone, "We have a guest lecturer today. One of the most evil and diabolically brilliant minds in both the fairy tale and monster worlds! Professor Pericles!"
A fluttering of wings drew the students' attention to the large, pale gray parrot that flew into view from the darkest corner of the room. His wingtips, beak, and taloned feet were black; and he had a nasty scar across his obviously blind left eye. He perched on Yop's now empty chair behind his desk.
"Vell good morning, children", he greeted with an almost shwarmy German accent. "As your most esteemed teacher said, I am Professor Pericles. I have sailed vith Davy Jones, plotted beside zhe Evil Qveen, nearly overthrew Oz vith the Gnome King, and I alone acquired the Black Cauldron for the Horned King. Many times, I myself had heroes or entire kingdoms on zheir knees, only for sheer luck or some ... Unforeseen variable to snatch victory from my grasp. Who can tell me; vhat is zhe key lesson in zhis?"
"Don't have fools for minions?", Eddie said sarcastically, getting chuckles and giggles from others.
"Amusing, but no", Pericles replied. "Anyvun else?"
"Don't be a villain in the first place?", Googie snarked.
"NEIN!", Pericles shouted, making the whole class flinch from how loud he was for his size. "ALWAYS have a PLAN! AND MULTIPLE BACK-UP PLANS TO COVER EVERY POSSIBLE CONTINGENCY! Yop, if you please."
Prof. Yop then pulled down several charts, outlining multiple plot scenarios.
"Now, class, ve are going to go over plans and back-up plans for these plots; how you vould do zhem, zhen I vill evaluate zhem for you."
As the class progressed, Pericles observed the students. Almost all were eager, some were promising future villains. But one in particular stood out. Not for her participation or ideas, but her distinct LACK thereof. The "reader" and future 'Witch of the Forest' Googie Hale was actively ignoring the class assignment in favor of her own notes, to which she was focusing with a single-mindedness that he found all too familiar.
As Class concluded, and the rest of the students were dismissed, Yop kept the girl back to berate her. Pericles interrupted as the girl rolled her eyes.
"...detention again, Miss Hale...!"
"A moment Professor Yop", the evil parrot interjected. "Please allow me to deal vith zhe young lady? It vas, after all, MY class today?"
"Of-of course, P-Professor!", Yop stammered and left.
"Zo, my dear, vhy did you ignore my lecture und zhe class assignment? Vhat vas zo much more interesting in your notebook?", Pericles asked simply.
"I don't belong here", Googie huffed firmly. "I'm supposed to be in the Good School! CHRISTINA is supposed to be here, not me! And I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen!"
"Really?", Pericles grinned, seeing true potential for the first time since he arrived today. "Perhaps I can help you? Show me vhat you have so far."
Any excuse to blow off Witch Hazel's insufferable classes was welcome so Googie sat back down and opened her notebook with an excited smile.
...
"I think we pushed her too fast," Alissa fretted to Radu, "She ran off yesterday..."
"That is not your fault dear"
"But what if it is? It's CHRISTINA not a randomly chosen reader the book selected this time, she has so much more to learn and I can't help but feel that I've messed up already" Alissa flopped into her desk chair, "She won't tell me why she ran off or where she went, I searched all over the forest and I couldn't-couldn't find her..."
"Vhere is she now?"
"Her room, I told her to rest today, I hope she's still there..."
"I'll check on her, go dry your eyes," Radu kissed her head, "Your students are vaiting"
Radu waited to make sure his wife didn't melt down all over again. Once he was positive she was okay he went upstairs, past the endless sea of students, the chattering teachers, and chorus of assorted animals to the quiet topmost half of the castle. Christina's bedroom door was shut, and no sound came from inside. Knocking once he eased the door open just enough to see her burrowed under her covers fast asleep. Around the room, the wolves snoozed, Shade kept watch from his perch while Radley the toad sat quietly in his glass terrarium. Christina's textbooks were scattered open in a circle on the rug surrounded by crumpled balls of paper.
Soundlessly, he picked one up, smoothing it against his leg to read it.
She's trying to remember the dances.
All the papers were steps to the various dances the students were trying to learn with magic notes hastily scribbled in the margins. Carefully, Radu emptied the paper into the waste basket. With a final glance at his sleeping daughter, he exited the room, a plan started to form.
...
"Christina, Christina," Alissa whispered sometime later softly shaking the girl.
"Mama..." she slurred half asleep, "Not...yet"
"Christina"
Now she woke up, sitting up, wiping uselessly at the dried tears on her face as she plastered on a false smile.
"Now don't do that," Alissa sat on the bed, "Don't lie and tell me everything's okay, I know it isn't"
Christina's shoulders slumped, head dropping, "I didn't mean to frighten you yesterday, I just needed time alone. All of this is overwhelming and I feel I'll never catch up..."
"Oh, sweetheart, you're doing wonderfully but I understand and I'm always here to help you"
Christina sniffled on the cusp of breaking down.
"Deep breaths, take deep breaths and then I want you to tell me everything going on"
...
When Googie arrived on the lawn for lunch she was grabbed by waiting guards and forced into the Evil dining hall.
"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded.
"Lunch detention," the guards sat her on a stool in front of a spinning wheel, "For abandoning your detention yesterday"
As soon as the guards left, Googie trashed the straw, tossing it in the fire. To make sure they wouldn't do this again she stalked to the kitchen cupboards grabbing a bag full of drinking straws. If the professor wanted his gold so badly she'd give him some!
...
Meanwhile:
"You wish to what?", Maleficent asked dubiously, to be sure she had heard the request correctly.
"I vish to stay und consult in more classes", Pericles repeated with oily smoothness. "Und I could even make myself available to zhe students as a faculty advisor; somevun who has seen zhe real vorld, vun zhat zhey can feel more comfortable talking to zhen zheir regular teachers."
The Dark Fae Elder arched an eyebrow while looking sidelong at the evil parrot. While having no real power of his own to speak of, Professor Pericles was an evil mastermind of super-genius level. Knowing this, she knew he HAD to be up to something. But what? There was only ONE POSSIBILITY; the vile bird had seen a student of truly exceptional potential and likely intended to nurture that potential to his own ends! Not sure of who it could be, she needed to learn more before she could decide what to do. Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out what she needed to know...
"Very well, Professor, welcome to the faculty of the School for Evil. There is room available at the top of the West tower; small but for one of your size it should serve adequately."
"Zhank you, I am sure it vill", Pericles grinned.
...
"What are we doing in here?" Christina looked at her father confusedly.
"I'm going to teach you to dance!" Radu smiled pulling open the parlor drapes to better illuminate the room.
"I-I can't dance, I keep falling or hurting people I-"
"All you need is a bit of practice," Radu assured, "I'll have you know you're mother and I both fell down plenty of times, now," he took her hands pulling her farther into the room, "One two three, one two three, one two three..."
By the end of the hour, Christina had fallen more times than she could count but her father was still all smiles.
"I see the problem!" he declared triumphantly, "You're so vorried about messing up that you're forgetting the most important part of dancing"
"What's that?"
"Have fun, if you stop vorrying and start enjoying yourself you'll improve greatly"
"I don't know..."
"Just one more try?"
"Okay"
...
Professor Rumpelstiltskin burst into the teachers' lounge waving his fists.
"FOOLS GOLD! ZHE READER WITCH GAVE ME FOOLS GOLD!"
"That's nothing," Hazel groused, "She ditched my class ENTIRELY"
"Is it even possible for the Storybook to make a mistake? Because I feel a mistake's been made"
"Ts k-tsk! My dear fellow felonious fiends", Pericles interrupted several teachers in the evil teachers' lounge complaining about the reader student Googie Hale STILL not toeing the line or doing her classwork, except on the occasions when backed into a corner during practical demonstrations. "You are looking at zhe girl all wrong. Instead of grading her on vhat she refuses to do, grade her on vhat she DOES."
"*hmph!*What d'you mean, scar-face?", Witch Hazel grumped, voicing the sentiments of nearly everyone in the room.
"Truly have none of you noticed that she spends every waking moment scheming to undermine her arch-enemy? To usurp her position in zhe other school? Und you have ALL vitnessed zhe explosive power of her dark magick vhen she unleashes it under duress", Pericles pointed out. "She may be down in your records as 'Witch of zhe Forest', but mark my vords; she vill be zhe next 'Evil Queen'!"
At this, the entire staff burst into laughter. There was no way Googie Hale was going to be anything more than a footnote in some tale.
No way at all!
...
And yet, the Storybook continued to record the secret tale. Day by day, page by page, and chapter by chapter. Its work unending. Carefully watched by the two headmistresses.
"Alissa, I was thinking..." Maleficent trailed off, the two staring at the picture of Christina in the forest surrounded by wildlife.
"You want to move up the Trial, I had the same thought last night," Alissa turned to her mother with a smile, "I want to enjoy my first holiday with my daughter, without the Trial looming over it"
"The week before Halloween then?"
"Perfect"
...
The announcement was well-received by all but Christina and Googie. Christina, merely confused but Googie was furious as it interfered with her plans. Daring was putty in her hands now, already fighting for her switch, spending his every free moment with her. But, now, his attention shifted to the trial, and he stopped spending time with her to practice his skills. Whenever she went looking for him he was locked in a dance of swordsmanship with Dirk, some son of a knight Googie couldn't be bothered with.
"You know you don't need him for zhe Trial,"
"Professor," Googie acknowledged the scar-faced parrot with barely a nod.
"You'll win if you put your mind to it"
"How?"
"Your peers of course, think of zhem as stepping stones on zhe path to victory"
Googie shrugged, her eyes glued to Daring through the window.
She didn't need stepping stones, she had a prince.
...
After classes had let out one day the Good School students were herded into the great hall where an army of seamstresses waited to fit them for their trial uniforms. Uniforms consisted of magically armored long-sleeved shirts durable pants, lace-up boots, and cloaks with hoods. All in a deep blue to blend with the forest surroundings.
"Like, you have to show me how you figured out the dances so suddenly," Shaggy whispered to Christina as they moved through the line.
"I haven't really figured them out, I'm just trying to have fun, hard to do when Apple wishes you'd combust"
"What is her deal?" Melinda pushed her way into the conversation.
"I did what you said and told Mom what's been going on, she's had after school detention since"
Melinda patted Christina's shoulder comfortingly, "She'll get over it"
Christina glanced at the blonde a couple of lines over, fluffing her curls as she flirted with a prince trying to get a reaction from Daring but he was lost in his hand mirror and paying her no mind. Not even the pixies trying to move the line along. Finally getting fed up with him they pushed him forward so that he landed at the feet of the seamstress. Hopping to his feet he struck a confident pose and flashed a smile, making his entourage swoon.
Will she?
...
On the night of the Trial, the Good Students were led to their forest gate by Alissa while the rest of the school staff lined the path there wishing the group luck. In the very middle of the group, where she couldn't be seen by the adults Christina trembled, pulling her cloak tighter around herself. It had been specifically enchanted for her, to hide both her horns and wings, with it on it felt as if they'd never existed allowing her to be practically invisible.
I can't do this! She thought biting the inside of her cheek. She had no weapons, the wolves had been ordered to stay in the dorm; her magic was unreliable.
I'm a sitting duck.
...
Meanwhile, Googie strutted alongside the Evil Students. Happy to be in something other than that horribly itchy school uniform. She didn't worry her plan was simple, find Daring, stick to him like glue, and kiss him senselessly in front of Apple when this was over in the morning.
It was a good plan.
A great plan.
A plan that went completely awry when the starting bell gonged.
Her peers rushed after her, blood lust shining in their eyes, they whooped and hollered throwing all kinds of things at her, swords, axes, beams of magic.
"DARING! DARING!" she shouted desperate for her prince to come to the rescue.
The crazed horde scattered when their first obstacle made itself known. Enchanted scarecrows wielding scythes dropped out of the trees, swinging their weapons in wide arcs. Turning on each other as fast as they had banded together. It gave Googie the distraction she needed to get away, disappearing into the foliage.
I HAVE to find Daring.
...
It wasn't too long before the daintier princesses were knocked out by carnivorous blooms, the red plumes of magic whisking them to safety striking against the sky. Christina crouched in the brush and tried to steady her breathing watching princes pair off to fight their evil peers, princesses flanking them. Judging by the way some stumbled around they couldn't see as well in the dark as she could. Vines snaring legs, flowers nipping heels, animals hissing and roaring.
"Boo"
"Apple?" Christina whispered fearfully, "What are you doing?" the princess held a dagger, gleaming in the moonlight.
"In all my years," Apple hissed, "I have NEVER gotten detention but I am going to win the Trial"
Raising her hands to shield her face, Christina's fearful magic blew Apple clear across the woods.
Sprinting deeper into the forest Christina didn't realize how fast she was moving, a mere blur to the evil students in the trees, the golems waiting to strike were too slow, and vines curled around the air. On and on and on she ran until she couldn't, falling hopelessly to her knees. Looking up she saw a pair of glowing eyes cutting through the darkness.
"Amber!" she whispered, "You frightened me"
The massive bird lowered its head with an inquisitive clicking noise.
"It's like I've forgotten everything and-and they've all gone mad and what am I going to do?"
Amber picked Christina up, flying her the short distance to the nest where she invited the girl to hide as she did weeks ago. Hidden under the bird's wing Christina settled in to pass the hours until morning.
...
Googie crept through the woods, barely dodging traps. Hopping on one foot while cursing the deceptively pretty flowers she crashed right into Daring who was a little worse for wear, the sleeves of his trial uniform torn, cloak long gone, and left boot missing. Still, he somehow managed to look the part of a gallant knight.
"Daring! Where have you been?" she almost shrieked before remembering herself, "I was worried about you," she added fluttering her eyelashes.
"I've been all over the forest looking for you"
"Oh," she embraced him wailing dramatically, "It was horrible! Christina almost killed me!"
"Pfft!" Apple emerged from the trees somehow still perfectly put together, "That sniveling wimp blew me across the woods before hiding, no one's seen her since"
"I have," Googie insisted, "She's on a rampage"
Daring looked between the two befuddled.
"Oh really well-"
The trio were jumped by another scythe-wielding scarecrow forcing them apart. Googie jumped back while Apple and Daring drew their weapons to fight a quickly losing battle as their foe easily disarmed Apple leaving Daring to fight on his own while she called for backup in the form of slow-to-arrive injured songbirds.
"Googie," Daring grunted losing steam, "Help me,"
Googie did the only thing she could think of.
She pushed Apple into the creature's path.
There was a startled cry, a plume of red smoke and Apple was gone, reappearing outside the Trial grounds. The scarecrow fell to pieces fizzling away to nothing as Daring stared slack-jawed at Googie.
"Daring?"
"You-You ARE EVIL!"
"What was I supposed to do EVERYONE knows the prince saves the princess and I don't have weapons"
"I'm done, done with you, done with your lies," He grabbed the red handkerchief from his pocket.
"NO!"
"I know who my princess is," he dropped the handkerchief appearing at once by Apple's side.
Googie's entire being flooded with rage, humming just under her skin as she let out a screech to rival a banshee's. Consumed by her feelings she stormed through the grounds leaving deadly sheets of ice in her wake freezing everything and everyone she came in contact with. How DARE he abandon her in this death trap. How DARE he fall for Apple. How DARE he not see it was the only way to save them both. So consumed was she that Googie failed to notice the scar-faced parrot following a few steps behind. The only thing to snap her out of it was the gonging of the bell signaling the end of the trial as dawn broke over the horizon.
In the blink of an eye, she stood outside the forest, staring into the faces of confused peers.
"I won?" she asked. Maybe this would-
Wait, they weren't looking at her.
Turning around, Googie's jaw dropped. A monstrous bird, the one that had dropped her in the Evil moat was landing just outside the gate. At first, Googie wanted to run or maybe yank out the beast's feathers but then she saw what the others did.
"She tamed a stymph?"
"I didn't know you could tame one!"
Christina climbed down, patting the thing like a dog, "Thank you, go home to your babies now, they looked ready to hatch"
It clicked at her.
"Yes, I'll visit later, go on now, Amber"
Amber?
Amber butted her hard enough that she was knocked back a few steps before taking off.
WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE?
...
Christina waited until Amber disappeared into the trees before she turned, finding the massive confused crowd behind her.
"You-You tamed a stymph?" Maleficent managed with a hint of awe.
"Um...Maybe?" the teen ducked her head, "She's my friend"
"How did you manage to..."
"Mother, we have a tie" Alissa redirected, "Do you remember what we're supposed to do in the event of a tie?"
"According to the rules-" Maleficent withdrew a scroll from her sleeve, skimming it quickly, "The two remaining must have a duel in the Circle of the Sword in the Stone"
"For all our sakes, let's go have breakfast and we'll reconvene at the circle in an hour" Alissa announced.
Sensing their dismissal, the crowd dispersed back to their respective schools and the hot meals that waited for them there.
...
An hour later Christina stood across from Googie trying not to tremble while her mother read the rules aloud for their audience.
"-The duel only ends when one of you cannot get up," Alissa finished, "Good luck to you both,"
"Why don't we just end this charade now, Christina?" Googie snipped.
"What?" Christina asked distractedly, watching the torches be lit, the duel would begin when the last one was aflame and she had no idea what to do.
"We're in the wrong schools-"
"Googie-"
"..You KNOW it's true! I'M supposed to be in the Good school! You STOLE my spot! YOU deserve to be in the Evil School and you KNOW it! YOU'RE the dark fae and I'M THE PRINCESS! I ALWAYS WAS! The gowns, the tiaras, the good food, a Prince; should have all been MINE! EVERYONE BACK HOME KNEW THAT! AND SO DO YOU! Do you have ANY IDEA how I've SUFFERED over there because of YOU?! DO YOU?! The nasty classes, the horrible teachers and classmates, the disgusting food, forced to do exhausting dirty chores just for insisting that I shouldn't be there?!"
Christina, as much as she disliked – even feared – Googie for so many years, felt sorry for what she suffered.
"Well, no more!", Googie practically snarled, her eyes suddenly turning all-black! "I'm setting things right and taking back my fairy tale RIGHT NOW!"
Christina ducked the flurry of razor-sharp icicles, yelping when one nicked her ear.
Come on, come on! She tried desperately to summon even the smallest flame but there were only ashes, flickering sparks, fading on the ground.
"Pathetic impostor!" Googie screamed the ice became a blade in her hand, "YOU'RE IN MY SPOT!"
The one fireball Christina managed fell to embers blowing away in the wind.
In the crowd, Melinda kept a vice grip on Shaggy's arm before he could throw himself in the middle of the duel.
"YOU'RE THE VILLAIN NOT ME"
The swarm of ice-tipped bees arrived, descending upon Christina who could barely shield her face, the skinny flames licking at her arms doing little to keep them at bay as they stung her repeatedly.
Think! Ow! Think! Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry!
But it was so hard to think with the thunderous buzzing in her ears and the loud humming of the sword. Christina slid, her knees hitting stone as the bees dispersed. Aching and on the verge of tears she tried once more to summon the flames that came so easily to her mother, flinging clouds of useless ash at Googie. The blonde laughed, stamping out the thin green vines that poked through the stones at Christina's urging.
Seeing Googie, her blade raised above her head, the magical ice shining black nearing her, Christina scrambled away, her back hitting the smooth black stone with silver streaks at the center of the circle.
"Googie please-" Christina pleaded her voice barely a whisper.
"You are pathetic!" Googie threw the blade at Christina who rolled to the side, the ice piercing her leg making her cry out. A small grin of satisfaction tugged at Googie's lips as her magick responded to her rage and jealousy, spawning a Reaper's-Scythe of black ice in her hands; which she then poised to strike! "JUST ADMIT YOU CHEATED SOMEHOW AND SWITCH OUR PLACES THE WAY WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE!"
"COME ON CHRISTY, GET UP, YOU CAN DO IT!" Melinda shrieked from the crowd, "Come on!"
'She's going to kill me!', Christina panicked silently, desperately throwing anything she could get her hands on: twigs, leaves, pebbles... she grabbed the hilt of the Sword and pulled instinctively as the scythe came down...AND IT GLOWED BRIGHTLY AS IT SLID OUT OF THE STONE EASILY! Everyone gasped in shock as she swung the Sword and it shattered the icy scythe as if it were the most delicate crystal, but NO ONE was more shocked than GOOGIE! The magical energy of the strike knocked her back several yards and down to the ground!
Christina was trying to catch her breath and still had not realized what she had done, the crowd was still stunned silent, and Googie could only stare at her in total disbelief and denial. Christina. The cursed child. The abandoned dark fairy that grew up in her village, that EVERYONE KNEW was the VILLAIN of HER story; just pulled the Sword from the Stone?! THE Sword?! The undisputed Symbol of GOOD?! IMPOSSIBLE!
Christina suddenly felt her magick coming back, and her fatigue fading. Her breath returned, she then saw and realized she was holding the Sword. THE Sword. And her eyes widened in surprise. Then she saw Googie on the ground staring at her with shock equal to her own.
"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!", Googie screamed suddenly, the first to recover her voice. "WHAT KIND OF EVIL SPELL DID YOU USE TO PULL THE SWORD?!"
"You STILL cannot accept the Truth, even when it knocks you to the ground, can you?", Maleficent hissed darkly at her.
"BUT IT'S OBVIOUS SHE USED DARK MAGICK TO STEAL THE SWORD!"
"Foolish, blind little witch", the Lady of the Lake declared, stepping forward from the crowd. "The enchantment of Sword is ABSOLUTE; 'only one WORTHY to wield it can draw it from the Stone'."
"Only the magick of True Love's Kiss has greater power", Alissa stated with a straight face, her heart surging with such joyful pride and happiness for her daughter that she could barely keep it together. This was FAR BEYOND all their hopes and aspirations!
As shocked as she was Christina grasped at the stone with her free hand, using it to pull herself to her shaky feet, stumbling in pain as she tried to put as much distance between herself and Googie as she could while the blonde's rage was directed elsewhere.
I-I just pulled Caliburn from the stone! How-how! Oh! Everyone's staring at me!
Everything sounded like it was underwater as Maleficent declared: "Christina has won the Trial for Good!"
/...
"Christy?" Shaggy knocked lightly on her bedroom door.
When Christina hadn't come down to join in the victory party he'd gotten permission from Alissa to check on her.
"Come in"
Christina clean and bandaged sat with her knees to her chest staring at the sword laid across the desk.
"Are you okay?" Shaggy edged his way inside, sitting on the end of the bed.
"I..I don't know..."
Shaggy nodded in thought.
"What am I supposed to do with it now?"
"The sword? You keep it, it's yours for a reason"
"I don't know how to wield it, I can barely hold my wand correctly and I can't just leave it somewhere"
"Like, I'm not good at swordsmanship but I know the basics, I could teach you?"
"Would you?"
"If you like, wanted me to"
"Please?"
The quiet desperation in her voice struck a chord in Shaggy. He grabbed her hands only for them both to jump in shock at the sudden flash.
"It's gone!" Christina went ridged, the sword had disappeared from the desk.
Wordlessly, Shaggy lifted Christina's left hand into view. A stunning bracelet now encircled her wrist. The etchings matching the intricate designs of the sword.
Slowly, she slid it off, the sword suddenly appearing between them
"Like, how did you do that?"
"I think you did it," Christina nodded to the soft sparks fading from Shaggy's hands.
Another flash and the sword was back around Christina's wrist.
"Like, I didn't do that"
"I just thought about how I didn't need it and poof"
"I like, guess that solves that problem"
"I guess"
A beat of silence passed between them before Shaggy managed to ask, "Do you want to come downstairs now? There's a feast in the castleteria with a very large dessert table"
"Okay," Christina nodded slowly only to grimace as she stood.
"What's the matter?"
"I'm fine, my leg is just a little sore, it will be okay soon, Mom put numbing cream on it"
"So you're okay?"
"Yes, promise"
"Uh-Uh, ma-ma-may I?"
Christina grabbed his hand with a gentle squeeze, "You may"
...
Later that night in her dorm room, Googie couldn't sleep. Ignoring the snoring of her roommate Crow, she paced the room, her mind in turmoil. She was THERE! On the very verge of proving that there had been a mistake, and making Christina switch placements in the schools...when Christina pulled the Sword. CHRISTINA. Pulled. The. SWORD! It was IMPOSSIBLE! Only the Destined Savior could do that; the kindest, pure, and righteous person... someone not only good but the MOST GOOD! Were they right after all?
NO! It was a trick! It HAD to be! That evil little fairy MUST have deceived the Sword with her magick! And by deceiving the Sword, she's now deceived EVERYONE for good! NO ONE will believe it was a mistake now! "I'm STUCK here now!", Googie lamented. And it was ALL CHRISTINA'S FAULT!
'FINE! Then I guess I fight fire with FIRE!', she thought to herself. 'First, I start doing the bare minimum to get out of all those nasty chores. And I do whatever I have to so I can get into better electives; MAKE openings by ANY MEANS! Then her EVERY effort will be to TAKE what is RIGHTFULLY HERS!
But first... she grabs her sewing kit, her terrible uniforms, and her plainer clothes from home. She then spent the rest of the night retailoring her uniforms into FAR BETTER styles, and covering the itchy linings with materials from her home clothes, making them much more comfortable... and sexy-stylish!
...
The next day, Googie turned heads with her new look!
"Just what do you think you're wearing, Ms. Hale?!", Witch Hale sneered. "You know you are required to wear your school uniform!"
"This IS my uniform", Googie smirked smugly. Since it didn't magically turn back into the ugly, itchy potato-sack it once was, it seemed she had found a 'loop-hole'! "Obviously, it's NOT against the rules to ALTER the uniform, as long it's still a uniform that's worn. So take a good look, girls! I can do this for you, too... for a price."
...
And I believe that's a good stopping place for this chapter! A couple of things before I dip:
1 that first lullaby is the theme from the 2002 Barbie Rapunzel.
2. The song Christina begins to sing is called Deep In The Dark, one of the songs from the animated Charolette's Web film. Full transparency the reason for the abrupt interruption is that the rest of the lyrics are about Charolette weaving the web that helps Wilbur and I did not want to rework the entire song.
3. The Stymphs come directly from the novel, I've only tweaked them slightly to fit this narrative.
4. and finally, the BEST parts of this chapter were written by my friend, DRAGONDAVE45
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed and I'll see you next chapter!