Descendants: The rise of red

Another point of view

The truth is that the book kept in Headmaster Merlin's office was protected by an enchantment: only the pure of heart could open it and reveal its secrets. Morgana knew this well; her sister Ursula had previously attempted to steal it, but after opening it, the magic revealed itself, and suddenly her entire body became immobilized.
But the two did not know the true story. To understand it, we need to look at another perspective: Bridgette came out of her room and cheerfully descended the stairs as usual. Outside the front door, waiting for her, was Charming, holding a bouquet of rosy, sparkling flowers.
"Oh Bridgette, good morning, this is a small gift I wanted to give you to offer my apologies," Charming said, his tone measured and sincere. Bridgette, confused, did not understand the reason for the gesture.
"I asked you to come to Castle-Caming as my companion only to make Ella jealous. You see, I like her, but she seems uninterested in me," confessed the prince, trying to mask his insecurity. Bridgette's reaction, however, caught him by surprise: she began to jump up and down and hug him, laughing.
"You boys are all the same, you can't see beyond your noses," Bridgette said with an ironic smile. "But I forgive you, Charming. After all, it's clear that you like Ella, and I don't want to get in the way."
From Ella's perspective, however, this episode took a completely different turn. Watching the scene from a distance, her heart sank. Seeing Charming and Bridgette so close, with those flowers shimmering in the sunlight, hurt her more than she would have liked to admit. The disappointment took her by surprise, and the emotions she had been trying to keep under control began to slip away.
Ella interpreted the situation in the worst possible way: she believed that Bridgette had accepted Charming's invitation and that her friend had betrayed her to win the heart of the boy she liked. She couldn't know that Bridgette was actually trying to help her, trying to push Charming to confess his feelings to her.
At that moment, Ella's thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion, anger, and sadness. She decided to walk away from the scene, unable to face what she was seeing. The desire to confront Charming faded, replaced by a sense of disorientation.
As she walked away, Morgana, who had observed everything from the shadows, smiled to herself. Her venomous words had begun to take effect. The plan she had concocted, taking advantage of Ella's wounded feelings, was only just beginning. That day, which already seemed ruined for the girl, promised to be filled with pitfalls and difficult choices, and Morgana was ready to exploit every moment of weakness.
Ella left the school courtyard, and the tears she had been holding back began to flow freely. She felt betrayed, alone, and confused. As she walked, her thoughts crowded her mind.
With a heavy heart, she decided to head to a place that had always comforted her in difficult moments: the library of Merlin Academy. It was a quiet place, a refuge where she could escape reality and lose herself in books, away from prying eyes and judgment.
As she entered the library, she was greeted by the muffled silence and the unmistakable scent of old paper. She headed towards a less frequented section, where she knew she could find some peace. As she walked among the shelves, her attention was caught by a book that seemed to glow slightly, almost as if it were illuminated by its own light. She had never seen that book before, despite having explored the library far and wide.
Drawn by its mysterious glow, Ella approached and reached out to take it. It was a thick volume, bound in dark leather with golden engravings that seemed to dance before her eyes. The title, written in ancient characters, read: "Robin Hood: The Pure Magic That Resides in the Soul."
Ella gently took the book, feeling a strange but not unpleasant warmth emanating from the cover. As she opened it, the pages emitted a soft light that enveloped her gently. It was as if the book itself was welcoming her, recognizing something within her. The girl began to read, and she immediately realized that this was no ordinary book. The words seemed to speak directly to her, as if they knew her deepest thoughts, as if the book was talking about Bridgette and her selfishness. A rogue who steals from the rich to give to the poor, like Bridgette, who had stolen her chance to truly fall in love, only to fill her own emptiness.
As she continued to flip through the book, she was interrupted by a girl. She had long brown hair, a clean and smiling face, and wore a yellow dress, similar to those worn in the 1950s, paired with a purple tie.
"Robin Hood? I finished reading it a few months ago. I find it fascinating how the story makes the reader believe that the protagonist, despite being a thief, is pure of heart," the girl remarked, observing the book's green cover, but received no response from Ella. "Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself, I'm Jane, we're in the same home economics class," the girl continued, this time receiving a polite smile.
Ella had too many thoughts racing through her mind; she couldn't think about making new friends, especially now that the only one she had had decided to stab her in the back. Jane decided to quietly leave, not wanting to draw attention to herself, as Ella remained focused on staring into space with eyes full of hatred and a thirst for revenge.