The Last Ever After (SGE Fanfic)

The Good Defend

Sophie wrapped a shawl around her as she stepped out of the castle. She waved to the School Master's work room, but no one answered. Then she turned towards the beautiful garden filled with flowers, inhaling the scent of roses, poppies, and sunflowers. The sky was blue -- a surprise, since the weather was so unpredictable lately. Sophie smiled and started walking towards the garden.

"When can I take this off?"

Sophie jumped as she heard the voice right next to her. "I thought you were behind me!"

"I was," the voice huffed back. "But then I moved."

Sophie glanced surreptitiously towards thin air, knowing that her snakeskin cape and Belle was there. "Well, don't do that again," she said thinly. She started walking towards the garden again, this time straining to hear the girl.

"I don't hear you walking," she commented. The girl laughed.

"I don't need to. I'm a fairy, remember?" The amusement was clear in her voice.

"You mean, you're flying?"

"Not really. It's more like... hovering." The girl sounded thoughtful, as if she'd never considered this before.

Sophie looked back at the castle, making sure no one was watching them. She paused before the small gate of the garden. "I never saw any wings," she said, out of the corner of her mouth. Now she was whispering.

"They don't appear unless I need them."

Sophie opened the gate, saying, "Could... um... you use them to escape?"

The girl laughed, but with no real amusement this time. "You mean, wear your cape and fly away?"

"Yes."

"Problem: I'm too weak to fully fly."

Sophie knelt in front of some flowers, feeling the petals of one. "What could make you stronger?"

"Time. But that's something I don't have. I said a jailer checks on me every three days, didn't I?"

The edge in the girl's voice made Sophie straighten. "You're right. I just wish there's a way for you to leave without capturing his attention."

They both knew who she meant by him.

"I mean, you don't need the Storian, do you?" Those words were for herself as much as they were for the girl. She heard Belle sigh before opening her mouth.

"I thought you promised."

"But won't you just be content to leave?"

She thought the girl smiled sadly. Sophie dug her hands into soft soil as the girl replied. "My family, hundreds of years ago... they crafted the Storian for you humans. They gave it to the two brothers of Good and Evil. I can't just let him keep it."

"But for years none of you... got involved." Sophie chose her words carefully as she touched a flower, hoping not to offend the girl.

"The fairies are isolated in this world, Sophie. We rarely interfere unless someone of our own kind is involved." Belle's voice had an edge to it. "Such as when your beloved kidnapped me."

Sophie lapsed into a uneasy silence as she pretended to look around the garden. The School Master had taken her in when everyone else had betrayed her. He'd granted her everything she'd ever wanted in life: love, acceptance, and grand castle... And when Agatha had shunned her for being Evil, he'd still taken her in and accepted her for what she was.

It's not who we are, Sophie. It's what we do.

Sophie slowly shredded the petals in her hands as she stood up, heart aching. She knew she was supposed to do the a Good thing, the right thing, but how could she when everyone still despised her and betrayed her? She remembered Agatha kissing Tedros, abandoning her best friend. And now this girl was asking her to go behind his back and take the Storian.