𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐏𝐋𝐄 || 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸

𝟏.𝟎𝟏 - 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐧

╔══ஓ๑☼๑ஓ══╗
— 𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝟏 | 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏 —
╚══ஓ๑☼๑ஓ══╝

(Ruby's POV)

"Hmm hm hm, when will my life begin~" I hummed and sang softly to myself while sitting at my vanity. My expression was neutral as I braided my long honey-colored hair while waiting for my dorm-mate, and one of my best friends, Lonnie to wake up. This is how our morning usually started, I wake up at 5:30, take the next 45 minutes to brush my hair, the next 30 to braid it so that it only falls to around thigh level, then wake Lonnie before getting dressed and ready for the day. Have I expressed how tiresome and grueling it is to have my hair yet? Oh! How rude of me, I didn't even introduce myself.

My name is Ruby Fitzherbert, daughter of Rapunzel and Eugene Fitzherbert. I'm a Princess, of course by royal status, but by nature? Well, that's questionable. See I have all the wardrobe, the looks, the etiquette... but no matter how hard I try I feel like I'll never truly feel like one. We may still have our castles, courting, cotillions, and coronations, but in this modern day and age, I feel like royal titles are a little... mundane? If you ask me, people just like the branding and avoid it for what it really is, privilege by blood. If you wanna know a little bit about me, I like to fence with Lonnie, read in the meadow, and spend my afternoons in the art studio. Everyone keeps asking me if I have my eyes on a prince yet but, why do our lives have to revolve around our royal status? This is the 21st century, we're just kids! It's exhausting, and it always makes me a little irritated...

But enough of that! I gotta keep my spirits up, today is quite an exciting day after all. We're getting new students! And not just any students, children from the Isle of the Lost, villain kids. Prince Ben asked me to be a volunteer for the welcome committee which meant I got the last period off to see the arrival of the new students. Speaking of which I'm running late.

"Lonnie, Lonnie wake up, it's 6:45," I whisper-yelled as I gently shook my friend awake. She groaned and lazily threw her blanket off her tall frame before sitting up in bed, her hair frizzy and sticking up in places all over from what looked like a restless sleep.

"You couldn't have given me the next fifteen minutes at least?" She yawned and struggled to keep her eyes open as she did her best to playfully glare at me. I giggled and walked to my wardrobe, pulling out the outfit I had picked out for today (outfit above).

"You say that every morning and I always tell you the same thing, if I wake you up any later, you'll be late for class and a bad start to your morning could potentially throw off your whole day," I said and started to change. Lonnie gave me a huff and got up, starting to brush her tangled short bob. I figured on such a big day, I should probably look a little more presentable than usual. As I slid on my skirt I noticed the paint stains on my hands and lower forearms and sighed deeply "Dammit."

"What is it?" She asked, going to the bathroom and brushing her teeth. I sat on my bed and started to strap my heels on. Just a plain pair of white platform Mary Janes.

"Last night I was finishing up the painting for the welcome ceremony today and I forgot to scrub the paint off right after and now my hands are stained, great first impression huh?" I said sarcastically as I picked out simple gold jewelry to match. She poked her head out of the bathroom, looking like a foaming dog at the mouth from her toothpaste as she held a scowl on her face.

"It's just paint, if anything it gives you character! You don't need to be perfectly polished with every single hair lain precisely in place like Ms. "I'm the Future Queen of Auradon" Audrey." She said with an overly dramatic eye roll before disappearing and spitting her toothpaste out. I laughed at that and smiled warmly, happy I have a friend who keeps me as insecurity free as possible like Lonnie. I flinched and checked the time on my phone quickly as I remembered I was running a little late before letting out a gasp. I hopped up and spritzed my neck a little with some perfume before snatching my canvas bag off the back of my chair and hurrying to the door.