Chap 2
The next day Camilla took a deep breath as she returned to the Isle. She and Harry had delivered Uma her ship and Harry was to captain it while Uma used the crew to arrange furniture in her new office at Auradon Prep. Camilla took the bridge back home, Harry had offered to go with her, but she assured him she could do this on her own. He had looked at her concerned under his black eyeliner. He knew she wasn't keeping secrets from him, he knew what she was leaving to do. But he respected her wishes, promising he'd be there when she got back if she needed him. He had been her shoulder to cry on during her life flipping upside down. After Carlos. . .
She grew more and more nervous as she approached Hell Hall. Picking at the buttons of her half black half white jacket, which matched her pants that were black and white just on opposite sides. The perfect waves in her hair bounced as she walked and she did her best to not run her fingers nervously through the locks. She kept buttoning and unbuttoning the jacket, unsure about whether it looked better to show the red top underneath or not. But focusing on her outfit helped take her mind off her worries.
The last time she had seen her mother was a few weeks ago and while she would love to just give up on the foul woman who had poisoned her and her true love - she knew Carlos wouldn't want that. He would want them to be a family. So, even if Cruella was stubborn and awful, Camilla faced her with her chin raised and a stiff lip. She would not crumble, not until she returned and fell into Harry's strong arms.
The black iron gate squealed as she pushed it open. The place looked like it had fallen into even deeper disarray since the last time she'd been here. Lots of the other villains places had received supplies and teams to help repair them, the shops looked newer, the homes were nicer. Not one person on the Isle had turned down Auradon's generosity, most felt they were owed something for all their suffering anyway and Auradon was happy to supply wood and rugs and furniture if it sated the villains thirst for revenge. Everyone won. But Cruella hadn't been heard from. Carlos was the one who had extended the olive branch, he had a less troubled past with their mother. When they. . . lost him, any progress Cruella had made vanished and she secluded herself in their home. On past trips Camilla did what she could but her and her mother always seemed to end up arguing.
The front door was pulled open for her by her own father who looked at her with sadness. Horace and Jasper still stopped by but they had their own children in Auradon who needed them now. And Cruella needed round the clock care or she might just let herself wither away into a shriveled old bag of anger and misery. Camilla nodded at him and he patted her head lovingly. He left her to her privacy when she entered the parlor room and found Cruella as she always was, a martini glass with clear gin and a few olives in one hand, her long red cigarette holder in the other. The end smoked as she tapped it off over the ashtray. Cruella was hidden by the deep red wing backed chair she sat in but when she sat up, leaning over the small side table to retrieve a new cigarette she noticed her daughter. Her heavily eyeshadowed lids drooped over her eyes, "Oh, so you've returned."
"I told you I'd be back."
She scoffed pulling a new cigarette from its box and using it as an excuse to not even look at Camilla. "You are hopeless."
"Really?" Camilla replied looking around the room with its peeling wallpaper, cracked and crumbling ceiling, dust covered furniture and the dying embers in the fireplace. "I'm not the one living like this. Have you even had any fresh air since the funer-"
Cruella's sharp cackling laughter cut her off, "No, you've been living a shimmering shiny new life in Auradon. Just like him."
"Mother -"
"Let me tell you something." she pointed the cigarette holder at her. "You ended up just like him. On the side of good, and kindness, and love. . . love." she stood and moved to the bar where she refilled her gin. She slammed down the glass bottle as she plunked in a couple more olives. "Love couldn't save him and it won't save you." she turned and looked at her daughter with a vicious stare, "Love ain't it."
...
...
The engine revved as the Queen of Hearts drove her croquet cart, not a golf cart, along the road out of Wonderland. Ahead of both her and Red the invitation floated toward the Rabbit Hole. The Queen's jerky steering made Red nervous but not so much as their bigger problem. "So how do we get into the Rabbit Hole? It's been locked for decades."
In response the Queen slammed the gas propelling them forward and slamming Red back against her seat. "Mom! What are you doing?"
The Queen smirked and shook her head, "Oh, you have so much to learn."
The envelope touched the boarded up hole in the grand tree in front of them and the wood planks glimmered with gold light.
"Finally." her mother whispered, her voice laced with desire. Red gasped as they hit - and went straight through it. She'd never seen inside the Rabbit Hole before. It was just as chaotically beautiful as Wonderland. A path of black and white tiled floor corkscrewed upward as objects floated in the air, spinning around them. Red rose petals, cookies with frosting that said EAt ME and TAkE ONE, bottles that said driNk ME. Vowels A,E,I,O, and U made of colored smoke made Red cough while teacups, saucers and teapots spun through the air and through their vehicle.
They shot out the other side bumping along the ground until her mom straightened out and got them on the main road. There was a tall, white castle in front of them, peeking out over the tops of the lush green trees. The air felt cleaner here, easier to breathe, the trees blew gently in the wind and the sky looked bluer. They stopped at a guarded bridge and her mom waved forward the guards dressed in Auradon colors who examined the car.
"Oh Red, I thought I told you to put on something respectable."
Red turned to the window and sighed not engaging. She didn't have the energy to fight with her mom, and she didn't want to let her mother spoil her day. In a few hours she'd be past the welcome ceremony, her mother would go home and the start of Red's new life would begin. Still. . . it would be nice if her mom could just be happy for her, even a little bit. Just once.
"I'm just a girl, arms open wide, looking for kindness, somewhere in your eyes. I'm looking for something I may never find, all I want is love -"
"What you want, doesn't exist." her mom said somehow knowing her thoughts, "Love ain't it."
Red turned to her. "You say love ain't it. It makes me weak but how'd I know if I ain't felt it yet? You say love ain't it. And I wish I could compete with all the grief that you've experienced."
"Love ain't it." Her mom turned to her, "And nothing's as sweet as when you defeat all your enemies. I say, "Love ain't it" and fear is more important if we're gonna rule for centuries, oh-oh."
Could it really be her? They say there's no one worse. No one's as mean, mean as the queen, mean as the queen. She's been gone for years, but now she's appeared, so hide under your beds, under your beds.
"Alright, here we go!" her mom said as they drove onward.
Be careful of what you do, be careful of what you say.
"That's right!"
Or it'll be off with your head. Off with your head.
"Out of my way, please."
Be careful where you go, don't make her upset.
"Blah, blah, blah."
Or else, it'll be off with your head.
"I've only seen the scepter glow like that when there's trouble." Drac said still looking at the most evil weapon in the world.
His mother hummed. "What I'm about to tell you." she turned to him, "I don't want you to misunderstand. Mal would."
"I'm not Mal."
Maleficent smiled, "No, you're better." she sighed and looked down before meeting his eyes, "All that goody nonsense they've preached in Auradon, you can't rely on that."
"Mom -"
She held up a finger, "Listen to what I'm telling you. You want to unite the Isle and Auradon, and Mal and her little prince." she sneered, "Have done remarkably well thus far." her voice lowered, "But there are forces here that won't go easily. And if you rely on love like Auradon constantly brags of, you. Will. Fail. Love's not enough. I don't want you to forget to be strong. I've seen what happens over there when a person is too trusting."
"What do you mean?"
She took a deep breath and looked away. "When I was your age I was -"
"Cursing entire kingdoms."
Maleficent smirked and glanced down at the rail tapping her nails along it. "Yes. . . but before then. Before that I was a student, at Merlin Academy."
Drac's brows puckered, "That's what Auradon Prep used to be, right?"
She nodded, "But I saw through it, and so did my classmates. I spent way too much time in that place, couldn't wait to escape. The people there might smile, but they're two faced and too fake."
"So, the villains who aren't on board joining Auradon. . . They're plotting?" Drac pieced together what she was saying. And he understood why she wasn't telling him flat out. One, she wasn't going to rat out other villains and their schemes, it was like an unspoken rule. And two, she'd want to test him. If he was smart enough to figure it out then he was worthy enough to stop it. If not, he deserved to fail. "What's their deal? Is it survival, or protection, like how roses grow their thorns? Who's side are you on? These villains or your son?"
She sighed, "Back when Mal took down the barrier, a lot of things changed. Ever since that fateful day lots of things haven't been the same. Some think it's a shame."
"Is it from before? Back when the villains and the heroes first clashed?"
"You want to make a brighter future? Don't dwell on the past."
Cruella's laughter again echoed through the room as she approached the tall windows facing Auradon. "Look at them so innocent. Can't believe they let us in. Watch 'em pay the consequence for being so dang insolent. Can't you smell their cowardice? Soak it up, devour it." Camilla followed her mother across the room and noticed a glass jar full of dogs treats and picked one up but her mother quickly snatched it.
"Treats are for the weak. Let me show you what real power is!"
"Quick, Red, you gotta follow along." The Queen of Hearts said leading her daughter by the hand through the courtyard. "One day, you'll be on the throne. Automatic, just how I planned it."
"What about what I want?"
"They're gon' fall like parachutes. They're gon' crawl to me on all fours."
"What did they ever do to you?"
"Red, what are you arguing for? I don't speak politician, I'm a queen. Your submission's what I need. On your knees, kneel to me. Royalty, you should listen, or you'll wind up in a prison. You'll be living in a dungeon underground!"
"Love ain't it." Cruella sang turning to her daughter and walking forward making Camilla walk backward to the center of the parlor. "Let me show you what real true power is. It's when I say you only live if I let you live. And you should take what I give when I'm givin' it. And what I'm givin', love ain't it." she wagged a finger.
"Love ain't it." Maleficent sang still looking out at Auradon from the balcony. "Love ain't it. Love ain't it, na-na-na."
Drac joined her, hands on the rail, also looking out to Auradon. "Love ain't it, love ain't it. Love ain't it, oh, na-na."
"Look into the scepter, it's our destiny." He leaned in as the Dragon's Egg glowed. It showed Maleficent and Drac back to back on the bridge, she faced the Isle and he faced Auradon. She ruled over the Isle and he helped Mal rule Auradon. In front of Maleficent were the plotting villains kneeling before her as she looked over her shoulder and winked at Drac. Would his mother help him keep the Isle in line? That would be hard to sell Mal on. "Rule a million years with you right next to me. Swimmin' in their tears, won't they taste so sweet? There's a new dawn in Auradon."
"I'm gonna take the crown and then put it on." the Queen of Hearts smiled, "I'm gonna take the crown and do what I want. You're gonna make me proud when you take that throne! Love ain't it. Let me show you what real true power is. It's when I say you only live if I let you live. And you should take what I give when I'm givin' it. And what I'm givin', love ain't it."
Cruella and Camilla circled the coffee table in the center of the room staring daggers at one another. "Love ain't it, love ain't it. Love ain't it, na-na-na."
"Love is it, love is it." Camilla sang back. "Love is it, na-na-na."
"Love ain't it." her mother wagged her finger again. Then she rounded the table and returned to her chair sipping her drink. "It will fail you too."
Camilla didn't have anything she could say to that. So, once again, she left without making any progress with her mother.
...
...
"Is that?" Red asked seeing what her mother was holding.
"The Looking Glass, yes, it shows the future."
"Can I see?" she reached for it, but her mother was quick to pull it back.
"When you're ready. When you've proven yourself."
She meant, when you've become just how I want you to be. Red shook her head, "I don't want to be anything like you."
Her mother looked like she'd been slapped, "You don't -" she paused and looked around before lowering her voice, "You don't have a choice." she hissed, "We're more alike then you know."
"Attention please." Fairy Godmother called the crowd to order as they all took their seats. "Oh, parents, and students, it has been a great privilege to serve you. But, the time has come for another to take my place. So please join me in welcoming Auradon Prep's new principal-"
"Uuuuuuma. Uuuuuuma. Uuuuuuuma. Uuuuuuma. Uuuu ma ma ma!" Pirates danced down the center ailse to the stage where they gathered, then the group broke apart as Uma herself made her way to center stage and took over the song.
Red watched with a smile as they performed, grooving in her seat and applauding when they were done.
"What's my name?"
"Uma!" the pirates chanted.
"That's Principal Uma to you. And you better get it straight – or you'll be walking the plank."
"She's kidding." Fairy Godmother laughed, "She's kidding."
"Now, I never got the chance to go to Auradon Prep." Uma began her opening speech. But Red noticed her mother pulled out her deck of cards and began doing simple parlor tricks with them. She worried her mother's disrespect was going to make the other students think badly of her. So instead of being able to enjoy Uma's speech her attention was pulled back to her mother's quick fingers as she flicked through her cards.
"But as it's captain, I'm proud to be charting a new course, into a bright future. Beyond the old ways of heroes and villains. So in that spirit, I'd like to welcome Princess Red, of Wonderland."
The crowd cheered while the Queen of Hearts played with her deck of cards. The clapping died down and Uma's eyes turned to the Queen.
"Excuse me." she called politely, getting the Queen of Hearts reaction, "Hi. Do you mind?"
"I do, actually. Hmm." she stood collecting her cards.
"Mom?" Red asked quietly sensing something wasn't right, "What are you doing?"
"Why playing my favorite game." she smiled down at her daughter before she looked to Uma and the others, flipping her cards as she paced to the center aisle. "Waaarrrrrr." she laughed tossing her cards in the air.
The sky changed from bright blue to grey and stormy. Thunder clapped and lightning flashed as red magic swirled around each card. When they came back down they transformed into her soldiers. Each landed with a sturdy thud on the ground much like the marching beat they stormed Wonderland with after dark. Immediately they began to corral the people, rounding them all up.
"Citizens, remain in the courtyard!"
"Mom stop!" Red cried.
"Not so fast." The Queen said playfully as she flicked her finger toward the doors making giant metal cards block the exits. The whole scene turned red as more lightning flashed above and the storm clouds blocked out the sun. The Queen of Hearts continued to laugh as everyone else screamed and tried to run. Uma and her pirates tried to fight but soon they were outnumbered and getting hauled off.
Through the chaos Fairy Godmother's voice rang out, "Bippity boppity -"
"No." With a point of her finger the Queen of Hearts destroyed Fairy Godmother's magic wand, blasting it apart just above the brunette's hand causing her jaw to drop as she was rendered powerless.
"Let go of me!" Uma shouted as a soldier used his staff to pin her to his chest so she couldn't fight back.
"Calm down." The Queen said as she gripped her skirts and took to the stage. "You're all acting like you've never seen a coup before."
"Mom, this is crazy!" Red shouted, "Even for you!"
"Crazy that it's taken this long. I have been waiting years to be invited back into Auradon." she laughed looking to Uma and her foolishness. Then she smiled at her daughter. "So thank you Red, you finally did something useful."
"I should have known this was never about me."
The Queen's smile dropped and she stepped closer to Red lowering her voice. "Everything I do is for you."
"That was my invitation. My school. My life."
"Someday, you'll thank me." Her mother replied unfazed. Then she lit up as she remembered something. "Oh, and I've already seen the ending! Spoiler alert! We win. Ha!" she giggled, actually giggled with glee.
"Stop it Bridget." Cinderella said defiantly as she broke through the crowd. "You're better than this."
The nearest guards crossed their spears to block her but the Queen of Hearts held up a hand and dismissed them.
"Let her through."
Their weapons uncrossed and Cinderella took one more step forward. "This is too far. I know that what happened was hard for you but that was ages ago!"
The Queen took a deep breath and her reply sounded pained. "It feels like yesterday to me."
"It was a stupid prank." Cinderella said, her voice cracking with sadness.
"Stupid - I could forgive. Humiliating a girl at her first dance? Turning me into a monster in front of everyone. Now that's just cruel."
Cinderella looked heartbroken. "You're right."
"You didn't care then. You were off with your prince. Oh but you will now. You will all show me the respect I deserve!" The Queen said her voice growing from pained to angry. "Now kneel."
There was a long pause and Red could feel the tension in the air. It was the same tension from when they arrived and her mother first saw Cinderella. There was something there, you could feel it. Red knew her mother hated Alice with a passion, but she had no clue what history lay between her and Cinderella.
The woman held her head high and this time her reply wasn't laced with sadness or heartache. It was strong. "I will never kneel to a tyrant."
Many in the crowd gasped at her bravery.
"She's denied a royal order." The Queen said turning to Red, "What do we do about that, darling?"
Red sighed and turned to Cinderella, "Look, all you have to do is swear allegiance. Is that so hard?"
"If it means compromising everything I stand for?" Cinderella clarified walking up to the stage. "Yes."
The Queen watched Red and saw her hesitance. "Who are you loyal to Red, hm? These strangers? . . . Or your mother, hm? Now make me proud. For once."
But she didn't say a word. It was just like with the Jack of Diamonds. Red felt her throat go dry knowing what she said meant life or death. But if she didn't do it her mother would anyway. If the result was just going to be the same why not do it and make her mother proud? If she wanted to execute Cinderella nothing would stop her – Red certainly couldn't.
And Cinderella saw that. "Come on Bridget, even your daughter knows it's wrong. She can't do it."
Something in Red snapped at those words. Like she was being called weak. She might not be like her mother but she was strong in her own right and she would prove that.
"Treason." She said loud and clear across the courtyard as the crowd gasped in horror. "She's guilty of treason."
Her mother grinned wickedly stepping up to her side. "Exactly right my dear and that means OFF WITH HER HEAD!"
Cinderella turned to Bridget with a look of betrayal. For a moment the Queen of Hearts looked sympathetic but then the falsehood melted away and she flicked her hand, "Shoo."
The guards began to lead Cinderella away, her daughter's voice quivered as she called and reached out for her mother, "Mom?"
"It's going to be okay Chloe."
"Mom!"
"I love you. It's going to be okay. Be brave Chloe."
"No! No! Let her go!"
"I knew you had it in you." the Queen kissed Red's cheek.
Red looked around at the crowd who were glaring at her, her mind telling her this was going to be her future. With her mom in charge of Auradon Red had no hope of escaping becoming just like her. Or did she? Was there one last chance? She pulled the pocket watch she'd stolen from Maddox from her inner pocket. Was he right? Was it really a time machine? Would it work? 'When you alter the fabric of time, there can be terrible consequences.'
"That's not fair! Let her go!" Chloe shouted.
"Oh bless your heart." The Queen mocked.
"Let her go!" Chloe shouted now drawing her sword. Red ran forward to stop her but when their hands met the watch was triggered.