Ever After High AU: Book 2 - Hearts and Thrones

Chapter 1 - A Less than Perfect Start

Raven's POV

Raven Goodking wakes up to the sound of soft chirps and bird songs. She sighed as she rolled out of bed and went to get dressed. After throwing on literally the first things she grabbed - a light purple shirt, blue jeans and black sneakers - she looked in her vanity mirror and had to suppress a groan.

Even though she had been getting more that 8 hours of sleep, the quality of which has been greatly improved after getting her new roommate that does not wake up at 6 in the fairy-freaking morning, she still looks and feels like she has barely gotten any. If it were up to her, she would be staying in her bed for days on end.

At least her new roommate, Ashlynn Ella, was kind enough not to pry.

When Giles Grimm, one of the Co-Headmasters of Ever After High, told her who her new roommate was gonna be, Raven was admittedly a bit worried. Like her last roommate, Apple White, Ashlynn is a Royal - a person who wants to follow her story to get her destined happy ending. Raven meanwhile, is a Rebel - someone who thinks that you should have the choice of following you family story or not, she is also the daughter of the Leader and Founder of the Rebel Movement, to glass-boot.

Apple was not a good roommate to Raven: the first day they meet, Apple had done nothing but invade Raven's space (both mentally and physically), watched her like a hawk, and try to control her. It was honestly starting to remind Raven on her mother...

The the straw that broke the pumpkin though? The thing that made Raven decide she was done placating Apple? The events of Legacy Viewing Day. It turns out, on the day that the new class of Ever After High students were supposed to see their destinies, the real Storybook of Legends was swapped out for a fake. Apple came over to comfort Raven, or comfort her in the way she knew how, and it resulted in a shouting match where Apple called Raven selfish and implied that if they could not find a replacement character for the Evil Queen, then Raven would be forced to take on that role. Not asked, forced.

That Raven was done after that and asked for a new roommate and got Ashlynn Ella, who was so unlike Apple in every way - at least, in terms of being a good roommate.

Ashlynn did not wake up and immediately start singing at 6am, she never followed Raven out of their dorm like she was trying to keep an eye on her and, most importantly, she respected Raven's space and ideals. In fact, the two of them have not had one discussion over the Royals vs Rebels movement.

Though, that may be because Ashlynn was not a full-fledged Royal, or at least, not as committed to the cause like Apple was. Ashlynn was way more open-minded and seemed to be fine minding her own story. She also, at least from what Raven could see, was in a not-so-secret relationship with Hunter Huntsman, Raven's friend and fellow Rebel. Which was just another point in Raven's book.

Suddenly, a crash sounds from the balcony attached to their room. Both Raven and Ashlynn turn their heads to see what it was, only to see the curly, multicolored hair of Maddie Hatter, one of the Wonderland students.

Raven smiled, while she had only met Maddie just that year, the girl's infectious smile and cheerful attitude was such a breath of fresh air. Wartime tended to get everyone's moods down so to have someone who always seemed to be able to make her laugh was so nice.

Maddie smiled at Raven, "Aww, I'm so glad you think that, Raven! I'm so glad I keep painting smiles on you face!"

Raven smiled, despite how weird it was, that was another thing Raven liked about Maddie - she always seemed to know what she was thinking and feeling.

"Why, thank you, you sweet singing blackbird!" Maddie beamed, "Though I cannot take all the credit - our amazing Narrator helps with that!"

(Maddie, seriously, you are not supposed to interact with... sigh, whatever, I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to narrate this story. Carry on.)

Maddie laughed. Ashlynn looked at her with a confused, if happy look. Raven smiled - just as her stomach let out a low, rubble sound.

"Oh, I guess it's time to head to breakfast," Maddie jumped up from her spot on the balcony and rushed into the dorm, grabbing Raven and Ashlynn's hands, "Come, let's get some breakfast!"

Ashlynn gave Raven a fond smile as the two of them let Maddie pull them out of their room and into the hallway. It was honestly one of the laughter filled morning Raven has had since Legacy Viewing Day. Especially since -

"Raven! Good morning!"

Raven winced and managed to suppress her groan of frustration as she turned her head. It seems that Apple was also heading to breakfast. Ashlynn's lips were pressed in a thin line. Maddie did not seem to noticed their faces, but stopped to let Apple and her best friend and new roommate, Briar Beauty, catch up to them.

"At least I will not have to deal with Apple alone," Raven thought. The last few time Raven came down for breakfast, she was usually alone. Without Apple's early morning singing, she had started sleeping in a little. The slight downside was that while Ashlynn was quiet in the morning, she was sometimes so quiet she would leave the room without Raven noticing. It was really nice of her, honestly, getting up and leaving so that Raven could sleep in. But once Apple noticed this she began waiting for Raven to come out by herself to try and talk to her about the Storybook of Legends, her 'destiny' and whatever-after else Apple though Raven was doing wrong.

After that, Raven began making more of an effort to leave with Ashlynn in the mornings for breakfast. While, this did not stop Apple from trying to convert her to the 'Royal Ways', it did make them more bearable, as Ashlynn would occasionally tell Apple to stop.

Apple came to a stop right beside Raven. She was so close that the puffed sleeve of her white and gold jacket literally brushing against Raven's shoulder. Like always, Apple looked perfectly polished and princess-y. Her makeup looked perfectly natural and not one of her curly pale blonde hair strands were out of place. She smiled sweetly at Raven, as of she was a lost puppy or baby bird that fell out of her nest.

"How are you? Are you guys heading to breakfast? Me and Briar will join you!" she said, not giving Raven any room to answer or say anything.

"Um.." Raven blinked, her mind not awake enough for dealing with Apple's bright mood.

"Yes! We are going to breakfast! Hurry, hurry, before the all the goodies are gonies!" Maddie said gleefully. 

"Yeah, let's hurry. I need some coffee before I fall asleep again," Briar interjected, gently shoving Apple along. was it Raven's imagination, or did Briar shoot Apple an annoyed glance?

 They were about halfway to the Castleteria when Apple started talking to Raven.

"You know, we have still not heard anything about where the real Storybook of Legends might be. I know the teachers are looking for it, but it would not hurt if we got some of the student body together and - "

"Apple," Ashlynn cut her friend off sharply, her eyes orbs of emerald venom, "Drop. It. At least until after breakfast."

Apple blinked at Ashlynn in shock while Briar threw the princess an impressed look before nudging her roommate forward again. Apple did not recover until they were in front of the door to the Castleteria.

"I - I just think that -"

SPLAT!

Apple was cut off again, but this time because a bowl of cold porridge fell right into Raven's face.

"This is going to be a long day..." Raven thought.