Descendants: The rise of red

You have to get your hands dirty

The image of her mother being beheaded played relentlessly in Chloe's mind, over and over again, even during her literature, arts and crafts, and history of magic classes. As if that weren't enough, there was also the fact that Red hadn't shown up for any of the lessons.
Chloe thought that the only way to still feel close to her mother, as long as she was there, was to spend as much time as possible with Ella. So, in the afternoon, after classes, she decided to visit her, even though the last time hadn't ended well.
Ella was absorbed in gardening, busy pulling out weeds. "Hey, can I talk to you about something?" Chloe asked cautiously as she approached. "I usually go to my mother when I have a problem, but now she's very far away," she continued after a pause. "Let's say you have a friend... well, not really a friend, more of an acquaintance, and she's very bad," she explained, laying out the problem. Ella stood up and walked towards another flowerbed. "And how do you know she's bad?" she asked coolly.
"Because she said so herself," Chloe explained. "But bad people never admit it. Believe me, I live with one," said Ella, casting a glance at her house. "And what if she stops you from doing a good deed, even if she has a good reason?" Chloe asked, crouching down next to her.
"Right and wrong, cruel and kind... who can really say?" Ella replied, continuing to pull out the weeds. "I believe in a code," Chloe countered, helping her with her task. "Every choice you make has a shade of gray," Ella explained. "That's why rules exist," Chloe insisted. "I've started reading a book: *Robin Hood*. He's a great guy, you agree, right?" Ella asked. "But he stole for the poor," Chloe responded. "Yes, but he's still a thief. Who is he to decide who should possess certain riches?" Ella said, leaning over to pull up a now-dry plant with both hands. "But even in this case, I have an opinion, and you have another. Like with you and your... acquaintance," she added, standing up. "In the end, it's always up to you to decide. When there's only one thing left to do, you have to get your hands dirty, dive headfirst into the chaos, and give your best or worst, depending on the circumstances," she said, helping Chloe unearth the same shrub, causing both of them to fall backward.
"Come on, follow me, come with me," Ella said as they both got up together. "Okay, but there are universal truths that you can't deny," Chloe explained as they entered the storage room. "Like what?" Ella asked. "For example, a brave knight must be pure and good, it's a guaranteed thing," Chloe answered, holding the handle of a broom and standing at attention, trying to explain her way of thinking. "It depends on what they're fighting for," Ella replied.
"And the terrible witches who sell potions for evil purposes?" Chloe continued to try to argue, seeking to be right. But Ella countered again: "Maybe they have children to feed."
"Good deeds are rewarded," Chloe said, taking the other end of the dusty broom and sending a cloud of dust flying over Ella. "The broken vase proves otherwise," Ella responded, mentioning the incident from yesterday. "But that's not true," Chloe insisted. "Yet it is. You're a good girl, but it's your royalty that
proves it, not you," Ella retorted, handing her a small trowel as they headed towards the old fountain in the center of the garden. "Throw this dirt away," Ella instructed. "You need to understand that sometimes doing good deeds won't change anything. For change to happen, you have to be bad, even if it's just for a little while," she continued, tossing all the clutter that had accumulated inside the fountain.
"But how far do you have to go? How many compromises do you have to make? Tell me, how do you know where the line is that you shouldn't cross?" Chloe asked, picking up a sponge and beginning to clean. "There's nothing I wouldn't do if my heart tells me it's right. For someone I love or to save a life..." Ella explained.
Afterward, the two began planting colorful flowers in the flowerbeds and reactivating the fountain. "It's beautiful," Chloe remarked, noticing the significant difference compared to how that garden of horrors originally looked. "Good job, princess," Ella complimented her. "I have to go now, but thanks for the chat, my mind feels lighter," Chloe said, leaving the building.