She grew up hiding who she was because of the threat of being taken away, like her father. Luca Hood, the daughter of Ruby "Red Riding" Hood, never trusted anyone, not fully and unconditionally at least, but when the soon-to-be King Ben decides to i...
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It was silent.
By the scowl on her face, Blair looked more than just mad at Audrey's behavior and ready to step in if needed. Even though Blair's tongue lashings for Audrey were always amusing to Luca, the young ravenette knew an intervention from her zealous best friend would do more harm than good. Despite the taut air, the two girls didn't move as they stared at each other. Their eyes held a fiery, passionate anger.
Uncomfortable with the increasing tension, Luca shuffled over to the stunned soon-to-be king and nudged his arm. The prince looked down, shaken out of his stupor, and realized the look in the recluse girl's eyes. He needed to intervene because neither of the young women's pride would allow them to back down. Ben walked over, gently squeezed himself between the girls, and directed all attention back to himself.
Luca didn't understand how he could handle all the eyes. How many of the royals could handle all the eyes, for that matter. She guessed it was due to growing up in that environment. While they aged within castles with people always waiting on them and eyes following them in public with awe and admiration, Luca and her mother lived deep in the Enchanted Wood, close to Charmington and Camelot Heights. They lived in a secluded grove next to the river that would eventually lead into the Sea of Ariel to the south and Eden's waterfall to the north. It was peaceful. She missed it. She especially missed the years her father had been with them. She held onto the memories of her riding on her father's back through the dark woods on the nights of the full moon. After her father's capture, she would run their trail alone.
"Okay! How about a tour," Ben said and clapped his hands together. Luca could see how desperately Ben wanted this experiment to work out. Both headstrong women reluctantly separated at his voice, and the tension eased. Next, the small group of eight huddled and began following the eccentric prince towards the school. Luca followed behind the Villain Kids with Blair by her side. The presence on their back almost made the four children from the Isle want to relax. They knew no hostility rested in the young girls and gravitated closer to them rather than the unfamiliarity closing around them.
As they passed the egoistic statue of the Beast, Luca drowned out Ben's voice, explaining a brief history of Auradon Prep. She had heard him practice the speech what seemed a thousand times as he ran it past Blair all the days prior to the arrival of the Villain Kids. That was until a scream sounded out. Luca looked to see Ben had transformed the statue from man to beast and unintentionally scared the white-haired boy into the arms of his friends. Luca and Blair laughed at the sight.
"Carlos, it's okay," Ben said with amusement. "My father wanted his statue to morph from Beast to Man to remind us anything was possible." Carlos stared in horror at the statue while his friend dropped him and caused him to stumble around slightly while regaining his footing. The purple-haired girl stared thoughtfully at the statue.
"Does he shed much?"
"Yeah, mom doesn't let him on the couch..."
Luca was pleased to see their joking manner and joyful at the villainous kids' seeming ease. The group continued moving forward while Carlos clapped, trying to make the statue change. Luca approached him as Blair kept walking.
