A Princess and A Zombie (A Z-O-M-B-I-E-S and Descendants AU)

Ch. 26

A soft knock sounded on her bedroom door, "Aurelia," A gentle voice spoke, and she looked up to see Lumiere standing in the doorway, concern etched on his face. "I'm sorry to intrude,"

Aurelia brushed away tears and forced a smile. "What's up, Lumiere?"

Lumiere hesitated for a moment, his eyes searching hers. "I just wanted to check on you, make sure you are all right. You seemed quite upset earlier."

Aurelia nodded, appreciating his concern. "I'm tired," She told him honestly, "tired of hiding, of lying, of pretending that everything is fine when it's really not."

"Aurelia," Lumiere began, taking a moment as if gathering his thoughts. "The day you were born, your mother, she had something important she made me promise."

Aurelia looked up at Lumiere, her eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of vulnerability. "No, what did she say?"

Lumiere's face softened as he recalled the memory. "Your mother told me to take care of you, that one day you would face challenges that might seem insurmountable, but that you had the strength and courage of both your parents. She said that you were destined for greatness, but that you would need support and love to guide you through the tough times."

Aurelia felt a lump in her throat as she listened to Lumiere, the weight of her mother's words hitting her. "I just feel so lost right now, Lumi. I don't know what to do."

Lumiere gave her a gentle smile, "Your mother also told me that you have a heart full of love, and that you should never be afraid to follow it, no matter where it may lead. Sometimes, Aurelia, the right path is not the easiest one."

Aurelia looked down, contemplating his words. "But what if I make the wrong choice?"

Lumiere lifted her chin, encouraging her to meet his gaze. "Then you learn, and you grow," He said softly, "Mistakes are a part of life, my dear. They shape us and teach us about who we are and who we want to become. The important thing is to not let the fear of making a mistake paralyze you into inaction."

Aurelia took a deep breath, feeling the truth in Lumiere's words.

"You're right," She finally replied, "It's time to face my fears."

She looked out her window, the gates to Zombie Town visible in the distance.

"Call a car, it's time for the Princess of Auradon to stop hiding." She grabbed a jacket from her chair.

"Where are you going?"

"I have some unfinished business to attend to."

Lumiere watched as she walked out of the room, determination written across her face.

He chuckled, shaking his head, "You really are your mother's daughter."

Aurelia made her way through Seabrook, with a deep breathshe stepped onto the border of the foreign forest.

"Willa, we need to talk!" She could hear stirring coming from within the forest.

"Fine," She muttered, "if you won't come to me, I'll come to you."

With determination fueling her steps, Aurelia ventured further into the forest, her heart pounding in her chest. The surroundings grew denser, and the sunlight filtering through the trees became scarce, creating a dimly lit path before her. Despite the eerie quietness of the woods, Aurelia's resolve didn't waver; she was set on facing the werewolves and uncovering the truth.

As she delved deeper, the faint sound of rustling leaves and low growls reached her ears. Aurelia knew she was no longer alone; the werewolves were watching her every move. She could feel their eyes on her, sizing her up.

Aurelia stopped in her tracks, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. "Willa, I know you're out there," she called out, her voice strong and unwavering. "We need to talk."

For a moment, there was only silence, save for the soft rustling of leaves. Then, from the shadows emerged Willa, the leader of the werewolves, her gaze fixed on Aurelia.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here," Willa spoke, her tone laced with both curiosity and caution.

Aurelia met her gaze, unflinching. "You always come to me, I thought it was time I returned the favor," Aurelia responded, her voice steady despite the tension in the air. "We need to understand each other, not just coexist in suspicion and fear."

Willa tilted her head slightly, eyeing Aurelia with a mix of skepticism and surprise. "What do you want to understand?" she asked cautiously.

"I want to know why you believe I'm the Great Alpha, and what it is you expect from me," Aurelia said, her gaze unwavering. "And I want the truth, not legends or prophecies."

Willa paused, her eyes narrowing as she seemed to weigh her options. Finally, she let out a sigh, her posture relaxing slightly. "Fine. But this conversation doesn't happen here. Follow me."

Aurelia hesitated for a moment, aware of the risks, but her desire for answers pushed her forward. She nodded once, and followed Willa deeper into the forest, the trees closing in around them as they went.

As they walked, Aurelia took the opportunity to observe Willa, trying to glean any information she could from the werewolf leader's demeanor and body language. Willa moved with a quiet confidence, her senses alert to every rustle in the leaves, every whisper of the wind.

Finally, they reached a clearing, where the other members of the werewolf pack were waiting. Their eyes were filled with suspicion and mistrust as they looked at Aurelia, but at a nod from Willa, they stepped aside, allowing her to enter.

Willa turned to face Aurelia, her expression serious. "I'll tell you what you want to know," she said, her voice low. "But know this- Princess of Auradon- the truth is not always a comfortable thing to hear."

Aurelia froze, her heart pounding in her chest, "How did you-?"

"How did I know you're true identity? That pitiful protical of yours isn't as full proofas you think."

"The Briar Rose Protocol is foolproof, it's kept us safe for years," Aurelia responded defensively, her mind racing to understand how Willa could have possibly seen through the protective measures in place.

Willa chuckled dryly, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "Maybe against your average human or lesser creatures, but werewolves? We have senses far beyond what you can imagine. Your enchantments, your protections, they might cloud our vision, but they don't make you invisible. And your scent," she paused, her eyes locking onto Aurelia's, "the scent of royalty is something unmistakable, no matter how much you try to hide it."

A chill ran down Aurelia's spine. If werewolves could bypass Briar Rose, who else could?

"So, tell me," she urged, "why do you believe I'm the Great Alpha?"

"Remove the enchantment," Aurelia hesitated, Willa's eyes hardened as she repeated herself, "Remove. The. Enchantment."

Aurelia complied, shakily removing the ribbon from her hair. The wolves watched as it went from the cool dirty blonde to icy white.

The change in Aurelia's appearance was stark, and it elicited various reactions from the werewolves surrounding her. Some looked awed, others confused, but all of them had their eyes fixed on her, as if trying to discern the truth for themselves.

Willa, however, simply nodded, as if this confirmed something she had already known. "A prophecy, one that's been passed down for generations, states that a girl with white hair, called the Great Alpha, will show them where us moonstone is."

"So you assume I'm this 'Great Alpha', because my hair is white?"

"Come on," Willa led her towards a cave near the edge of the clearing, "I'll show you."