A Royal on Skull Island Ch. 03

Three Days Later

"Today's the day!" Giles announces as he assists with some luggage.

Him and many of the students of Ever After are boarding a sky ship for a fieldtrip to another kingdom.

The Grimm then spots the witchling. "Ah, Raven! I don't know what it was from your visit the other day, but I've never felt better. Like I had a well needed rest."

Raven gives an awkward chuckle. "Well, I guess it's a good thing since we have no idea how long this trip will be."

Giles thought for a moment. "We shouldn't be gone for long. I mean the trip to and from the Kingdom by the Sea is only a days' worth of travel and we'll by there for only a day. Though, I must admit," he turns to see the large amount of luggage. "It does appear that you children have prepared for a longer stay."

The Rebel just shrugs. "You never know. The weather might change, or the wind may not by in our favor. Plus, I think most of it belongs to Daring."

The teacher nods. "I supposed you are right, my dear. The story tends to turn into an unexpected page around here."

"Hey, Giles!" Briar calls out while leaning over the edge of the ship. "Whose luggage is that?" she points at a large chest still resting on the dock.

"hmm," he walks back down the ramp. "Let's find out." Once Giles gets down there, the chest shakes and rattles. "My word!" he quickly opens luggage to find a man in a long trench coat, tied up, and gagged. "Captain!? What are you doing here?" the man then jumps at the sound of a loud 'thunk'. Turning around, he sees that the ramp has fallen as the Sky Ship retreats from the docks.

"Sorry, Giles!" Raven shouts as they get further and further.

Maddie then jumps beside her. "I'm afraid we're gonna have to reschedule teatime!" the hatter then turns to her Best Friend Forever After with a salute, "Orders, Captain Raven?"

The witchling laughs, "Make sure everyone's here and accounted for, First Mate Maddie."

"Aye, aye!" the Wonderlander takes off her hat and pulls out a scroll, a quill, and a pair of glasses. "Let's see here," she sets the glasses on the bridge of her nose. "Alister and Bunny are at the helm. Hello, fellow Wonderlanders!" Maddie waves at them and they in return does so as well. The ship rocks for a moment but steadies as Alister's hands return to the wheel. "Whoops! Okay. Ashlynn, Hunter, Briar, and Rosabella are going over our rations." The three are going over the parts of their luggage containing food and water. "The Charmings are keeping watch to make sure we're not being followed." Dexter, Daring, and Darling are at the side of the aircraft keeping their eyes out on the horizon. "Cerise is standing alone as if she's hiding a secret as always." At that, Cerise pulls her hood over her head. "And…Kitty and Faybelle are hiding in the crow's nest," the Hatter points up at the tower and everyone looks up as well to see the Cheshire and Dark Fairy peeking over the edge.

Faybelle flies down and Kitty vanishes and reappears next to the Hatter and the fairy lands not far, with Faybelle asking, "How'd you know that we were here?"

"I might have read ahead of the story a little," Maddie giggles and everyone, with exception of Kitty stares at the Hatter girl.

"You know what?" Raven calls out. "Forget it! Everyone knows why we're here," she gathers everyone with the exception of Alister at the center of the boat. "Map!" Hunter passes her a map and the witchling unfolds it across the deck. "Hair!" Briar walks up and carefully hands over a brush with an apple crest on it. The Rebel pulls off a strand of golden hair and whispers something while charging the strand with her magic before dropping it on the map. The parchment starts glowing. "Compass!" Daring gives her a broken compass. "Now," Raven takes out a dagger. "I need a drop of blood," she holds out a hand towards Briar.

The Sleeping Beauty goes to offer her hand. "Are you sure?" she pulls away.

"You're the one here closest to Apple," the witchling swipes for the hand. "It'll only be a drop!"

"It's also a prick on my finger. I don't what to be asleep if we find her!"

"When we find her!"

"Why can't you do it!?"

"I've already tried!" Raven reveals with a shout. "And it didn't work. This may be our only chance to find her," she holds out her hand again. "Please, Briar."

Briar looks into the Rebel's eyes to see they're tearing up. With a sigh, the Beauty gives her hand to Raven. Just as the Witchling goes to prick the finger, someone lets out a hiss of pain.

Both the Charming brothers cry out. "Darling!"

The platinum haired girl is holding her sword that is dripping blood. Her hands clutched tightly in attempt to keep her cut from bleeding out too much. The youngest Charming walks up to Raven and Briar and holds her hand over the compass. A single drop falls onto the arrows of the compass, and it starts glowing as it spins.

Raven quickly moves over to the map and holds the compass over it. The map turns into magical energy and enters the compass. The arrow of the compass spins faster and faster and faster until it stops in one direction before projecting a map of all of Ever After. It then starts zooming in until it's over the ocean with a blinking image of an apple.

"We found her!?" Raven shouts before laughing. "We found her!"

Kitty then catches her attention. "But there's nothing there."

The witch's eyes glow as she glares at the Cheshire, "Apple is!"

"She's right," Dexter walks up with his MirrorPad. "There are no records of anything being in that area. Nothing. Not even a tiny island with a single coconut tree."

"There must be something," Faybelle hums to herself. "As intricate as this spell is, the only reason it wouldn't work is if Apple was dead," the fairy approaches the compass. "It's unlikely that it's wrong. Perhaps it's the MirrorPad."

"Unlikely, Faybelle," Dexter glares at her. "I'm using the most recent images and—"

"Enough!" Raven shouts and tosses the compass to Alister. "Chart course to wherever that leads to."

"On it, Captain!" the Wonderlander turns the wheel to match up with the arrow.

Darling is sitting off to the side with Ashlynn bandaging her hand when her older brother comes up to them.

"So…" Daring trails off. "You and Apple, huh? When did that happen?"

The platinum girl shrugs. "It never really happened. Not yet anyway. But after the Dragon Games, we started getting close. At some point I started to like her, and I think she was liking me. She just didn't know it yet. Other than Apple, I never told anyone this, but when she was under that sleeping curse Apple started to convulse. So, I gave her mouth to mouth and just as our lips touched, Apple woke." Ashlynn drops the bandage at hearing that.

Daring sits next to his sister. "You broke the curse," he understands now. "You're her destined Prince Charming. How'd she take it when you told her?"

The little sister looks down. "She kinda freaked out. Not understanding it as that's not how it was supposed to be in her story."

"Apple rejected you?"

"No, not really," she shakes her head. "Apple said she just needed some time to process everything and wanted to go home for a bit. That was the last time I saw her," the girl saddens.

"You know? Part of being a Charming is having confidence in yourself and your abilities," he looks over at Rosabella. "And have faith in those around you. We'll find Apple, Darling. I know it."

The youngest Charming smiles. "Who are you and what have you done with the real Daring?"

"Hardy har-har," the oldest of the siblings smiles as he hugs Darling. "I'll have you know that I can be a little sensitive if I want to."

"You're always sensitive, Daring. And It's far more than little."

The eldest Charming is unamused as he pulls away to say, "That's a little harsh, isn't it?"

Darling chuckles. "I'll buy you a bottle of your favorite hair product as an apology."

"Make it two and we'll have a deal."

End