Days pass as the day of final hexams draws nearer. And Raven Queen grows stronger. With the Book in her possession, spells needn't be cast through word of mouth. A simple thought and the wave of her hand is enough to replicate the spell and increase its strength twofold. Although, Raven had to remind herself a few times that this is merely for classwork and nothing more. She needs to pass, or she can wave good magic goodbye.
So as not to worry Apple more, she takes to the Enchanted Forest to practice. All her spells need to be perfect, and she needs to concentrate. The forest is quiet and peaceful as usual. Raven stands in a small clearing, a tiny tree across from her. Her bookbag lays against a root behind her. The Book sits open, facing her. She crosses her arms over her chest and, in one swift motion, swipes them in front of her. Instantly the tree splits and duplicates. She laughs in delight. "So wicked!"
She runs back over to the Book. "It's hexcellent that you know all these spells."
"It's the all same spells you've been taught. This is just how I learned them."
Raven furrowed her brow. "Does that mean...you weren't always a book?"
There is some hesitation before the next line appears.
"I don't want to talk about it."
She sighs. "Okay... I'm guessing Headmaster Grimm doesn't know about you?"
The Book trembles in her hands.
"He's still around?"
"He won't go away," Raven admits. "He's always pushing me to follow my destiny or everything I know will go poof."
"HE'S A LIAR!"
Raven drops the Book in shock. She hadn't expecting that big of a response. The Book continues, some lines landing over each other:
"LIAR DECEIVER MEDDLER MONSTER!"
She scoops the Book back up. "Hey, hey! Calm down! I won't take you to Grimm." The Book stops shaking. "What does he have to do with you?"
"He and I didn't agree. It's complicated."
"He and I don't agree either." She pushes herself to her feet. "I don't think he'll ever agree. And I know he's lied about so many things. Maddie just says not to listen to him. And... well, I think she's just right."
"He's not a merciful man, Raven. Be careful."
Raven sighs and nods. "Okay."
The book flips to another page and begins drawing. Raven giggles at the portrait of Headmaster Grimm with a large handlebar mustache and buck teeth.
"Can you give him a soul patch?"
A tiny triangle is drawn under his chin. Raven laughs.
"Now make him say 'I eat fairy dust.'"
A speech bubble draws itself next to the portrait and the words "I EAT FAIRY DUST" appear inside. Raven guffaws. The Book's pages flip rapidly, blowing her hair back. She smiles.
"Raven?"
She slams the Book shut and whirls around. Apple stands over her, her brow knit into a worried expression.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Oh, um..." Raven slides the Book back into her bag and pulls out a random item. "I was just laughing at... Crowns and Jewels and Fairy Tools magazine?"
"That's a good issue!"
"Apple, what are you doing out here?" She tosses the magazine over her shoulder.
"I came looking for you," Apple explains, kneeling down with her. "What are you doing out here?"
"Just..." Raven fidgets. "getting some spells in. For class."
"Raven," Apple sets her hand on her shoulder. "I getting worried. You've been disappearing after classes. Maddie comes to me asking where you are. You haven't picked up your guitar in days. You say you're studying, but what are you actually doing?"
"Nothing!" Raven snaps. Apple gasps.
Raven sighs. "I'm sorry, I...I'm just a little tired, and frustrated." She pulls her knees to her chest. "I guess...well, Maddie said I should just ignore Grimm about the destiny talk, and I know she's right. But...Apple, I want you to have your happily ever after. But if I give that to you myself, I'll end up in chains."
"Raven..."
Tears prick at Raven's eyes, but she blinks them away.
"You and Headmaster Grimm may not agree. But that's okay. I do care about you. And...you said, maybe my destiny could still happen. In one way or another."
Raven nods. "I know."
Apple smiles at her. "Wanna grab a few Hocus Lattes?"
Raven sighs. "I think I need a minute."
Apple nods, understanding. "Okay. Just be careful, alright?"
Raven nods back to her. Apple stands up and heads towards Book End. In the last few days, Apple noticed Raven hadn't been acting like herself. It worries her. It took Apple so long to accept Raven wasn't evil, but now it worries her that Raven seems more evil. It feels like she hadn't seen her in days, coming and going only to classes and to her dorm to sleep. She and Raven are close, at least she thinks they're close. Maybe that book has something to do with it...
Something whizzes past Apple's nose. She yelps and falls backwards. An arrow lodges itself in a tree a few feet above her.
"Oh, curses!" A soft voice pipes from behind some brush. Darling Charming emerges, a quiver on her belt and a bow in one hand. Her gaze fixes on the arrow, but she gasps at the sight of Apple on the ground.
"Darling?"
"A-Apple!" Her gaze darts between her and the arrow. She quickly tosses the bow into the bush and hides the quiver behind her back. "I-I ... Are you okay?" Apple sits up, shaking a bit. Darling runs over and grabs her hand. "I'm so sorry... Maid Marian - " Darling pulls a little too strongly; their faces stop mere inches from each other. Her cheeks turn pink. Darling lets go of her hands and backs up. "Maid Marian spars with me on the weekends. I... I'm not that great at archery yet, if you haven't noticed. You aren't hurt, are you?!"
"N-No," Apple stutters. "No, I think I'm okay."
"Good..." Darling nods. She glances nervously at the tree before grasping the arrow to pull it out. "Apple, I'm sorry again for this. I should be going." She yanks the arrow out of the tree and heads back for the brush.
"Wait, Darling!"
Darling stops. Apple shuffles towards her. "We haven't properly talked since the Dragon Games."
Darling scoops up her bow, tightening the string to seem oblivious. Apple continues.
"Daring's kiss didn't wake me. It was you, wasn't it?"
"W-Well..." Darling stammers, facing Apple once again. "I don't know if I would call it a kiss. It was more like mouth-to-mouth, if we're being honest. Which I now realize is exactly what kissing is. Come on, Darling!"
Apple hugs her own shoulders. "Does that mean you're...technically my prince?"
Darling sighs and slings her bow over her shoulder. "I don't know what it means. Truthfully, it's caused so much tension between me and my brothers that we just pretend it happily never happened."
"Well, I can't ignore it, Darling." She sets her hand on her shoulder. "Destinies aren't what we think they are anymore. They're changing."
"That's easy for you to say, Apple. You're a White. It doesn't matter who wakes you. Meanwhile... I'm just someone who's meant to fill in a blank left on the page, just for a prince to save. A princess turned knight is less acceptable than finding someone else to kiss you awake."
Apple opens her mouth to argue, but stops. She has a point. Darling unsheathes her sword and looks at her reflection. "If Headmaster Grimm found out about who I really am... or Legend forbid, my family!"
"Sweetie."
Darling puts her sword back on her belt. "Destiny isn't easy, Apple."
"I know..." she sighs.
"I'll be seeing you." Darling steps back into the brush. "You're not going to tell Grimm about this, are you?"
Apple runs her fingers over her lips. "My lips are sealed."
Darling chuckles. "Okay...bye." And with that, she disappears into the brush. Apple touches her cheeks, noticing they've grown warm. She heads back up the path towards the school.
Raven chuckles, the Book propped up in her lap. "Are you sure that's right?"
"I'm sure."
"Goldilocks was an old woman in the original story. The bears were known as the Bachelor Bears."
"Everyone wanted them."
Raven snickers. "I don't believe you."
"Things have changed, I guess."
"Some things have," Raven nods. "Some haven't."
The Book flips a page.
"Like Destiny Followers?"
Raven takes a side glance. "You mean the Royals? I mean...I guess. It's more complicated than that. I-I'm a Rebel. Someone who wants to write their own destiny."
"Back then, they were just called traitors."
"It was like that for me too. But, after some time, a lot of people came to accept me. Even Apple, the most traditional Royal ever after. She wanted it so badly she...went behind my back."
"She sounds selfish."
"She was," Raven agrees. "But she knows what she did was wrong, and she knows she was being selfish. She wants her destiny, and I don't blame her. Queen of Ever After is a big deal, and she's been looking forward to it her whole life."
"But what about you?"
"Snow White and the Evil Queen?"
"What happens to you?"
Raven sighs and tucks some hair behind her ear. "I...end up where my mom is now. In Mirror Prison..."
The Book trembles for a split second, then stops.
"But you're so not evil."
"Thanks," Raven smiles. "I ... I don't want to be evil. I want to make music and use my magic for... something else. I don't know what, but I'm figuring it out."
"It's not fair, is it?"
"No..." Raven leans back against the tree. "Some people still don't get that." She looks down at her Book friend. "They used to run away from me..."
"I understand, Raven."
"I do."
Raven smiles again. "Thanks." She sits back up and drags her back over. "I should probably be meeting Apple soon."
"What? I thought you said she went behind your back to get her destiny!"
"She's still my friend," Raven argues.
"Friends don't deceive you to get what they want."
"That's true, but..." Raven shakes her head. "She doesn't know any other way. She's a White. It's what's hexpected of her."
" Raven - "
Raven shuts the book and slides it into her bag. "We'll talk later."
Darling brushes the last of the leaves from her hair, making sure no one was around to see it. True, the students know of her escapades, but she doesn't need anyone telling her teachers or Headmaster Grimm. Another Heirs and Teachers Association meeting was the last thing she wants happening. She enters her dorm, closing the door quietly behind her. She turns and gasps.
Rosabella snores softly on her desk, a book under her cheek and papers shrewn about. A quill dangles from her hand and various animal rights' fliers lay on top of her. Her glasses press against her face lopsidedly and some hair had found its way into her mouth. Darling picks up her MirrorPhone. It's long dead. She shakes her roommate's shoulder.
"Rosa. Rosabella!" Rosabella continues to snooze. Darling sighs. This is something she'd hexpect of a different Beauty. She grabs a bell from the shelf and holds it close to Rosabella's ear. She takes out one of her pearl hair pieces and strikes the bell.
Rosabella jolts awake, spitting the hair out of her mouth. Darling sets the bell aside. Rosabella rubs her eyes and adjusts her glasses.
"Da-Darling? Wha's...?"
Darling sets her friend's MirrorPhone on its charger and turns back to her. "Rosabella, are you doing okay? You were sleeping like your cousin just now."
"I-I-I just wanted to get some homework done, and then some studying, and then design fliers for the next Animal and Fairytale Beasts Rights' rally, and then - "
Darling hands her a water bottle.
"Oh. Thanks." She gladly accepts the bottle and drains its contents into her mouth. Darling drags over a stool and sits next to her. "I lost track of time. I just have so much to get done before the spellmester ends."
"Rosa, I admire your hardworking spirit. But maybe you should take a break. You're looking a bit haggard."
Rosabella shakes her head. "I'm fine, Darling." She yawns. "I-I'm...fine." She suddenly gasps and holds her head. "Aaaaaah, headache!"
She takes off her glasses and rubs her temples. Darling stands up, slides her glasses back on her friend's face, and takes her by her shoulders. "Okay, something's not just right with you." She leads her over to her bed and takes out some pain potions of her drawer. "What's going on?"
Rosabella swallows the potion and groans. "I'm just trying to hocus focus on schoolwork instead of..." She fidgets. "Have you heard what people are saying about your brother?"
"Which one?"
"... Daring." Darling smirks, raising one eyebrow. "Please don't look at me like that. Not right now."
Darling slides closer to her. "What's the problem? You like him, don't you?"
"The whole school likes him, Dar." Rosabella pulls her MirrorPad out of her bag. She pulls up Blondie Lockes's MirrorCast page. Stories of bookball and final hexams are all spaced between stories and reports about Daring.
"Okay, what else is new?"
Rosabella opens one of the stories: Saving Dragons and Slaying Damsels: Daring Charming defends refusing to slay dragon in Book End. She slides through more stories:
Daring Charming: Dragon Slayer or Dragon Lover?
Daring Charming seen with local Beast Rights' activist and Rebel, Rosabella Beauty.
Team Apple or Team Rosabella?
Darling shakes her head. "They're just fable-oids. He doesn't even read them."
Rosabella sets the MirrorPad aside and hugs her shoulders. "Darling... I've kind of been between a spindle and a splinter of flax lately. Daring's new destiny is to be the Beast, and everyone is torn about it."
"I thought you didn't care what other people think."
"I don't! I..." Rosabella stands up and heads for the window. "Darling, your brother shouldn't have to have his reputation tumble down the hill because I'm around him."
"Since when do you care about someone's reputation?" Darling joins her by the window.
"I just don't want to see him suffer. I know how important his friends mean to him." She looks at Darling. "And I know how your family views destiny."
Darling furrows her brow. "That may be true, but I know you aren't one to care."
"Well, I care about Daring!" Rosabella tries to explain. "And...well, I've been thinking...maybe they're right. And this destiny isn't good for him. Who knows? He might not even be the Beast at this point! Nobody's sure!"
"Rosabella!" Darling scolds. "What has gotten into you?!"
"DARING AND I WOULDN'T MAKE A GOOD MATCH, ALRIGHT?!" Rosabella seethes, grabbing her hair.
Darling jumps. She has never heard her scream before. Rosabella breathes deeply for a few seconds, turning away.
"I'm sorry..."
"Rosabella." Darling sets her hand on her friend's shoulder. "You're not telling me something. What's the real reason?"
Rosabella glances at Darling. The Charming girl radiated with an ocean-blue aura of compassion. She swallows. Shouldn't she know? Darling has not told her family about her work as the White Knight, much less the Kiss with Apple. What makes her think Daring has told them his destiny had been wrong all his life? Her family was great and renowned, and Rosabella's... She shakes her head.
"I'm sorry, Darling. I need to go." She turns from the window and runs out of the dorm.