I was reading a biography of Tailor Quick on my mirrorpod. Apple was singing, AGAIN! She opened the window to let in some sunshine. A bird flew up to her and nuzzled her cheek.
"Apple, it's 12:00 p.m."
"Oh, but it's such a lovely day," she said.
She twirled and kept on singing. I rolled my eyes.
"Oh aren't you grumpy," Apple said laughing.
I smiled at her.
Apple went to the bathroom and started to take off her curlers out of her hair with the help of a friendly bird who went to help her.
"Oh, why thank you," Apple said with a sugary voice.
I heard a knock on the door. I stood up and answered it.
I gasped. "Dexter!"
I gave him a huge hug.
"Oh, uh, hey Raven," he said sheepishly.
"Come in Dex."
Apple pressed her ear on the door to hear us.
We both sat on the sofa. He put his arm around me. I blushed.
"I, uh, was wondering if you could possibly go to my castle to uh, meet my family?" he said akwardly.
My eyes widened. "Wait what?!"
"Nothing, nothing," he said frantically.
"Wait. You want me, daughter of the EVIL QUEEN to meet your parents!"
"Now Raven, you should. My father is a good man. I mean, what could go wrong."
"Oh I don't know, maybe your father won't accept me because I am a rebel and my mom is the evilest thing there is!"
He gazed at me. His soft blue eyes met mine. I sighed.
"Look uh, Raven, if you do this I would be the happiest guy in Ever After," he said calmly.
"Fine, I guess it wouldn't be that bad."
"Thank you so much! You're the best!"
He kissed me but, for only a quick second.
"Sorry I'm not uh, quite used to kissing you," he said.
He got up.
"Wait!" I yelled. He turned around. I heard a tiny crack from the bathroom door. Apple was watching.
"Um, I actually liked the way you kiss me," I said with a smile.
He smiled at me. I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. I felt his lips on mine. I closed my eyes. Even if he had never kissed anyone before, he was still a great kisser. The kiss seemed to last for hours. We finally stopped.
"I love you," he said.
"Me too," I replied.
He left.
Apple came out of the bathroom. I saw a tender tear fall from her right eye.
"It's adorable how much you guys really like eachother," she said.
"Yeah, just don't get too hexcited okay?" I said playfully.
She smiled at me. Her cheeks were fairy red.
**********
All of the Charmings were getting the castle ready. Darling was decorating, Daring was placing the food on the table (while looking at himself in the mirror), and Dexter, was making sure that everything was okay.
"Uh, Daring, I think that you should stop gazing at yourself in the mirror while uh, placing the food on the table," Dexter said.
"Fear not little brother, I know where I'm going. Oooh, and look at that gorgeous chin!"
"Darling, the uh, streamers shouldn't be too high."
"Oh my, I didn't know," she said worrily. She started to hum and a little blue bird flew to her acquaintance. The bird pecked the the streamer softly and lowered it down.
"Thank you," said Darling with a voice as sweet as honey.
"Alright, Daring, could you uh, call mom and dad?" Dexter asked.
"No problem litlle brother."
Daring hopped up the stairs, skipping three steps at a time.
Dexter smiled.
"Darling, could you uh, tell mom and dad that I will be right back?"
She nodded.
Dexter used his Travel Mirror to teleport to the school. He shivered as he landed on the balcony of the school. Teleporting didn't feel very pleaseant. He walked up to my dormroom door and knocked.
I got up and opened it.
"Hey, uh are you ready to meet my uh, parents?" He asked.
"Sure, should I dye my hair blonde and change my name to 'Princess'?" I said.
"Raven, that's nonsense. My parents are gonna like you just the way you are."
My heart thumped. Those words made me shiver. Just the way you are.
I gulped.
"Please," he said. His eyes sparkled. I could tell he really wanted this.
I sighed. "Fine."
"Yay!" He started to do a little dance.
We left the school. His castle wasn't that far. We road on a beautiful white carriage with golden swirls. There were two beautiful silver horses with a coachman directing them.
Raven, you are about to meet King Charming. The one who saves damsels in distress. No rebel like you should be off to meet the greatest king who ever lived, I thought.
"Dexter! We're making the biggest mistake ever after!" I yelled.
"Calm down, look uh, my dad, he's not so bad, he's just uh, a bit serious,"he said.
"Hello, but when he meets the daughter of the Evil Queen he is going to flip his crown!"
"Not really," he said thinking deeply.
"Look you don't-"
"Your majesty, we have arrived," the coachman said.
I was scared.
"Come along," Dexter said. He smiled to clear things up.
We opened the door. We walked hand in hand.
Dozens of trumpet players began to play a royal fanfare. One of them looked at me and almost choked on the mouth piece. The other trumpet players stopped playing.
"It's her! The daughter of the Evil Queen!" The one who almost choked yelled.
They all started to yell.
"It's okay," Dexter whispered.
"Settle down!" King Charming yelled. His voice was much deeper than Daring's. His hair was a golden color. He still looked young and handsome. He sat at the end of the table with Queen Charming.
We sat at the table. I got the seat next to Dexter and Darling. The King was to the right of Dexter. Daring was next to the Queen and Darling.
"Son, has this wicked sorceress cast a love spell on you?" King Charming whispered to Dexter.
"Uh, no, I kinda, well I do really like her for real," he replied.
The King started to laugh.
"You are kidding. right?" the King said.
"Uh no, I'm not."
The King's expression turned serious. He raised on thick eyebrow.
"I am not impressed. Your job is to save princesses not wicked sorceresses like her," he said.
"I tried to tell him, father, he just didn not want to obey," Daring said.
"That's my boy!" The King patted Daring on the back.
"Shame on you boys! Maybe, she is nice and not cruel! If our son likes her then let them be!" Queen Charming yelled.
King Charming look disgusted by my presence. He ripped off a cooked turkey leg, and took one big aggressive bite out of it.
"So dear, what did you say your name was again?" Queen Charming said with a rich voice.
"Raven Quee-"
The lights in the dining room started to flicker.
"You see, even her own name damages things," the King said.
"Honey! She may have some flaws, but she seems nice."
"Nice enough to poison people and destroy the Land of Ever After."
The Queen scowled at him.
He sighed.
"Look, I don't want to do any harm, I swear! I want my happily ever after and not follow my mother's footsteps," I said.
"Oh, you were the one who destroyed Legacy Day! I will not allow-"
"Can you stop this nonsense!" The Queen banged her fist against the table, causing the mashed potatoes to fly across the dining room.
The King remained silent.
"Good, so how did you start to date our precious son?" The Queen asked.
"Well it was at a dance, and I spilled punch on his shirt. I tried to clean it off. Right there we gazed into eachother's eyes and he asked me out," I said akwardly.
She smiled.
"Wait a minute, what ever happened to Snow White? Didn't you marry her?" I asked.
"Well, since I had to keep saving princesses, Snow White got jealous and we later split apart," the King said. He said it with a much kinder voice.
"So, Daring isn't Apple's half brother?"
"No, Apple is the daughter of another king. Daring, Dexter and Darling are all ours," the Queen stated.
The Queen tied her curly, shiny brown hair into a ponytail.
"Alright, let's start eating," the Queen said.
I got a plate of steak. It was juicy and delicious.
"Uh, mom, can you uh, pass me the plate of hamburger?" Dexter asked.
She shook her head.
"Oops, uh, I forgot, please?" he asked.
The Queen smiled and handed him the plate.
I guess manners are very serious in this castle. Luckily, I knew my spoons and forks, my posture and, I already had my napkin on my lap.
"You have very good manners Ms. Queen," the Queen said.
"Thank you," I said.
Everyone kept on eating silently.
Dexter's watch beeped.
"Uh, mom, dad we have to get going," he said.
"Aww, how sad. I will miss that little beastling," The King said.
"We are going to have a little talk," the Queen whispered angrily to the King.
"Anyways, so long dear." The Queen waved.
Dexter and I went through the Mirror Travel. We arrived at the school.
"Ugh, your dad hates me," I said.
"As long as my uh, mom likes you it's okay," he said.
I ran away from him. Tears spilled out of my eyes. I ran to my dorm.
"Raven! Wait!"