The Land of Stories: Rewriting the narrative

Chapter 19: The Aftershock

With one final evil grin, the forgotten witch disappeared. The summit room was silent for a long moment.
"Chance." Cinderella said sternly. "You're a godmother-damned idiot and I hope you know it."
Chance looked ready to reply, but his wife raised a warning finger before he could get any words out.
"Summit ended temporarily." She announced. "Chance, Snow, and the fairies, you're coming with me. Rest of you, drinks are available on the terrace."

Aurelia sat awkwardly in a gilded armchair in Cinderella's study, fiddling with her dress.
"You've all met this woman before. I want to know how." Cinderella was saying.
"Cindy, I love that you want to take charge, but perhaps-"
"Don't 'Cindy' me, Emmy." Cinderella practically spat. "I've had enough of being politically correct. I am finding this goblin spawn of a woman and I am bringing her down."

"Sweetie, is that really-"
"SHUT UP, CHANCE!" She thundered, looking more furious than anyone had ever seen her. "You have been a pain in the petticoat all day! You have been worse than useless! So shut it or I will take Alex's wand and I will make you shut it, understand?"
Her husband nodded meekly. Cinderella smoothed down her skirt and turned to the others.
"Now, how do you know this woman?"

"She posed as my step-in handmaid when my usual one caught dragon pox. She seemed very interested in Alex's... ahh... oh, I see..."
"She pretended to be a Council worker. She worked in the filing room, sending out... oh no..."
"She came to my door asking me to take a survey about... ohhh..."
The moment of realisation dawned on all of them. The forgotten witch had known about Alex's heritage from Snow White, who had both respect for Alex and a chatty disposition; faked a role at the Council, so she could send out the anti-Alex flyers; and then corrupted Chance with tales about Alex to make him stand against her in the summit, which was being broadcast to all the kingdoms by Visiflies.

"Wait." Snow said suddenly. "What about her old woman disguise?"
"I thought that might have been... you know... well, Evly." Cinderella replied.
"No, Evly looked nothing like that." Snow shook her head.
Emerelda looked at Aurelia, a weighted look. She knew. It was a look that said: If you don't tell her, I will. And it will be better coming from you.
So Aurelia cleared her throat.
"Um, actually, I think that was directed at me."

"What?" Alex spun around to face her daughter. "You never told me about this!"
"It was just an old lady I met who... helped me with something. Before the leaflets and everything, but after the statues." Because of the statues.
"What with?"
"Um, well..." Now she had to make a choice. Keep her secret and risk not helping the others, or spill everything?

☆

"All I'm saying is the mother-and-daughter look went out of fashion years ago." Red was saying, holding a bright red cocktail.
"I think they looked sweet." Trollbella insisted, desperate to disagree.
"Well then, my dear, clearly you know nothing about fashion."
"I beg to differ!"
"

Ladies, please." Chandler and Froggy walked over, hoping to placate them.
"Froggy, darling, you agree with me, don't you?" Red asked, batting her eyelashes.
"Well, I, um... more lilypad tea, anyone?" Froggy scurried off.
"He agrees with me and doesn't want to upset you." Red and Trollbella turned to each other and chorused.

☆

Deep in the dwarf forests, Hero sat on a log, sharpening a knife. It was a quiet part of the woods. Far away, to his left, a murder of crows flew from a tree, shrieking. Hero stood up. Gripped the knife. Put the knife... back in his boot?
Fast, heavy footsteps sounded through the forest, coming closer. Wait, no... this was the sound of horses' hooves hitting the dirt floor. Hero scratched his side waiting for the horses to approach.

A porridge-coloured horse burst into the clearing, swiftly followed by a black one. Hero grinned as a middle-aged couple dismounted from the horses and strode over to him.
"If we were bandits, you'd be dead by now." Goldilocks told her son.
"Please, I knew it was you." Hero rolled his eyes. "Where were you, anyway?"
"That's not-"
"We were in the Centre Kingdom, watching the Visifly broadcast of the Royal Summit." Jack said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder.
"And?"
"Red Riding Hood was there, and she was very supportive of Alex." Goldilocks grinned. "Wish I could have seen her face when you went to her court."

Hero smiled too, and Jack marvelled at how similar they looked. The curly golden hair, the devilish grin, the mischevious glint in those doe-like eyes.
"So what happened at the summit?"
Jack and Goldilocks exchanged a glance. Goldilocks grimaced.
"King Chance... seemed very anti-Alex." Jack said. "He..."
"Is a sexist dumb-arse with whose ego is bigger than his brain."
"Well, yes, exactly." Jack chuckled silently.

"Never be like that, Hero."
"Ok, Mum."

☆

"Aurelia, honey, not to be a sterrotypical mother, but WHAT IN GODMOTHER'S NAME WERE YOU THINKING?"
"I was trying to help!" Aurelia replied defensively.
"GETTING YOURSELF KILLED IS NOT HELPING!"
"I didn't get myself killed! I'm still alive, aren't I?"
"That is not the point!"

Snow White and the Charmings watched the mother-and-daughter argument with some insensity.
"Did you have this with Hope?"
"Yeah, but and less explosive and about less serious things."
"Ah."
"What about Mirielle and Evelyn?"
"No, not yet. I'm sure I will when they get older."
"I still don't know how you manage with three children."
"Pish posh. I only wish mine were more like Hope."
"Oh, come now! They're lovely."
"Hm."

Alex brushed invisible dust off her skirt.
"Now that's out of the way, I'd like to congratulate Auri for her forward thinking and let's get down to business."

☆

"Now did I tell you about the most traumatic experience I recently endured? There I am, sitting on my throne, and-"
"Yes, Auntie Red, it sounded so scary. I can't imagine what I would have done." Ash said absentmindedly.
"And I know exactly who he was, too. The cheek of it, my-"
"Own godson." Ash finished wearily. "I just can't believe it. Oh, would you excuse me, I think Hope wants me."
"Oh, but Ash, sweetie-"

Ash carefully navigated the crowd of chatting royals to where Hope was pacing by the balcony.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, yeah, fine. Just... worried."
"I understand."
"I feel like I should be doing more, you know?"
"Mhm."
"Even Aurelia went into the meeting and she's just a kid."
"I'm sure your Mum had her reasons. Maybe Aurelia recognised one of her disguises?"
"Or maybe daughter-of-the-fairy-godmother outranks Princess." Hope sighed, slumping onto a blue velvet sofa.
"Oh, I'm sure that's not what it is." Ash slid in next to her and squeezed her hand. "Trust me, Hope. You're doing great. In the meeting earlier, when you commanded the room like that..." Ash leant her head against Hope's shoulder. "I wish I could be like you."