The Last Ever After (SGE Fanfic)

First Realization

Agatha landed at the ground. "What? No! I have to go back!"

She was at the outskirts of Gavaldon, in front of the woods. It was just like last time when they had returned, only this time there was no Sophie. She ran towards the woods, thinking only one thought: I have to go back. The tree's branches, though, forced her back until she was scratched and bleeding.

Then somebody pulled her away. "Agatha," Tedros said sharply. "Get away. You'll hurt yourself."

"But we have to return!"

"We can't just march off," he said, his voice disbelieving. "We have to stay... wherever we are, and recover... regroup."

Agatha slumped into his arms, nodding. "You're right, Tedros." She wondered briefly whether she should call him 'Teddy', like Sophie always had. He brightened, and pulled her into the air. She didn't resist.

"We'll go to that village over there, and contact someone. Everyone knows who I am, even now, with the Princes driven back... they won't have forgotten King Arthur's son." Agatha didn't want to tell him otherwise... they weren't in a fairytale anymore. She straightened, turned, and then began struggling even more to get away. Startled, Tedros released her, and she dove for the trees. Her second attempt was as unsuccessful as the first, however.

This just shows how inept we are! she fumed as he pulled her away again. We're not meant to be in real life! We're fairy tales... Tedros doesn't belong here, and I don't belong here!

"We can't stay here, Tedros," she said as he held her tight in his arms, preventing any more attempts at leaving.

"What are you talking about, Aggie?"

Agatha groaned. "Fine. Whatever. Let's go."

Surprised, the prince followed her as they began to walk towards the village.

He'll find out for himself soon enough.

She thought of Sophie, and faltered in her step. Sophie was gone now. She'd chosen her prince, and Sophie had chosen... whatever she had chosen. The evilest of the evil - the School Master.

Tedros walked alongside her, and she turned sideways to look at him. Before she had reunited with him, he'd been starved and scorned in the School for Boys, and had tried to kill her in the Trial. And she'd caught him with Sophie, too. Was he really better than her best friend?

Her best friend had tried to kill her too, Agatha mused. So then they were equal.

She tried to picture choosing Sophie over Tedros, like last time. But Sophie had seemed a witch, then, and Tedros had held her, the boy radiant and Ever-like. So she'd gripped the boy she loved, and Evelyn had been revealed, and the School Master returned. What was Sophie doing? She must be fighting back, resisting -

Agatha thought of Sophie stepping back, letting her vanish into the light. She blinked back a tear.

"What is that?"

Tedros pointed at a family's pig pen, the animals snorting and rolling in the mud. He looked revolted, and sounded like it too. She looked at him, half dazed. He had a broken sword on his belt, and though dirty, his hair gleamed in the early light. Somewhere from their transition from the Schools and the real world, the sun had risen.

"Pigs," she said, surprised at how nonchalant her voice was. Kids stopped playing and turned to look at Agatha in surprise.

"The girl's back!"

People picked up the cry, until a man ran forwards, skidding to a halt. "Girl - " he started. "What news of my daughter?"

Agatha realized who this was, and swallowed.