Descendants: Hearts of time.

chapter 3: the invite

3rd person pov

The throne room of Wonderland, a vast and opulent chamber adorned with intricate tapestries and glittering chandeliers, was filled with a tense silence. The Queen of Hearts, resplendent in her crimson gown, sat atop her golden throne, her presence commanding the room. Her crown, encrusted with rubies and diamonds, gleamed in the light as her eyes narrowed at the kneeling Jack of Diamonds before her.

"Who is responsible?" The Queen's voice, sharp and authoritative, echoed throughout the chamber.

Jack of Diamonds, trembling slightly, dared not meet her gaze. "We don’t know, Your Royal Highness."

The Queen grunted in frustration, her lips curling into a sneer. It was not the first time something like this had happened, and each time it chipped away at her patience. She sighed, the sound laden with exasperation, and then suddenly exhaled with an angry shout. "I’ve doubled the guard, tripled the patrol, and personally offered ten diamonds for any information that leads to the capture of the criminal. Yet here we are, with nothing!"

A male minister, standing nervously at the edge of the room, stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly. "Her Royal Highness, Princess Ruby And princess Red!"

The Queen’s gaze shifted to the entrance, where her eldest daughter, Ruby, stood. The sight of her was enough to make the Queen’s brow furrow in disapproval. Ruby had not bothered to dress appropriately for court, her attire far too casual, far too rebellious for the formal occasion.

"I see you couldn’t be bothered to dress for court," the Queen remarked coldly. Her eyes raked over Ruby’s outfit, her disapproval evident. "I find that outfit… offensive."

Ruby, unfazed by her mother’s harsh words, merely sighed. "I wish being me didn’t offend you."

The Queen's lips pressed into a thin line. Ruby's defiance had always been a sore point between them. It was as if the girl went out of her way to challenge her every decision, to mock the traditions she held dear. "Sorry to rouse you out of bed before noon," the Queen continued, her voice laced with sarcasm, "but while you were sleeping, the Royal Plaza was vandalized. And this sorry excuse for a soldier failed to protect my portrait."

Her gaze shifted back to the cowering Jack of Diamonds. "So, the question is, what do we do? Poke thorns in his eyes? Off with his head?" Her voice took on a menacing tone, a thinly veiled threat that hung heavily in the air.

The chamber filled with the eerie strains of suspenseful music, a soundtrack to the Queen’s fury. She leaned forward slightly, her gaze intense, as she addressed Ruby. "Since you’ll be queen one day, I’ll let you decide. It’s up to me?"

Ruby’s eyes widened in surprise. This was not a decision she had expected to be given. She hesitated, a conflict visible in her expression, but the Queen’s stern gaze bore into her, demanding an answer.

"Well, in that case…" Ruby began, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes as she turned to the hapless Jack of Diamonds. "Off with his…" She paused dramatically, allowing the tension to build, before finishing with a sly smile, "Hat."

The Queen's disappointment was palpable, her frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "Ugh! You’re such a disappointment," she snapped. The words were harsh, but there was a flicker of something more in her eyes—perhaps regret, or even a hint of understanding.

"You know, I was the same way at your age," the Queen continued, her tone softening slightly as she recalled her own past. "Desperately wanting to be a queen that everyone would adore. But if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: It’s better to be feared than loved. Love ain’t it."

The words hung in the air, a lesson the Queen had learned the hard way, one she was determined to impart to her daughter, whether Ruby liked it or not. "Now, try again," she demanded, her voice regaining its steely edge.

Ruby hesitated, her defiance wavering under the weight of her mother’s expectations. The room seemed to hold its breath as Ruby, breathing heavily, struggled with the decision placed before her.

"For your crime," Ruby began, her voice trembling slightly, "you are sentenced to…" Her words faltered as doubt crept into her voice.

"Get it right, or I’ll show you punishment!" the Queen snapped, her patience wearing thin.

But before Ruby could speak again, the court was interrupted by a sudden commotion. Maddox, one of the royal courtiers, burst into the chamber, his demeanor urgent. "I beg your pardon! Apologies for interrupting court, Your Majesty." He held up a sealed scroll, adorned with the royal crest of Auradon. "Royal Delivery."

The Queen’s eyes narrowed as Maddox handed her the scroll. With a quick, practiced motion, she broke the seal and unrolled the parchment. Her gaze skimmed over the words, her expression unreadable.

"Dear Queen of Hearts, Empress of Wonderland," she read aloud, her voice carefully controlled. "As the new principal of Auradon Prep, it is my honor to invite your daughters, Ruby and Red, the Princesses of Wonderland, to attend our school. I hope you’ll join us for the Welcome Day ceremony. If you accept, this invitation shall serve as your key."

The Queen’s lips curled into a disdainful smile. "From pirate to principal," she muttered, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Another villain’s gone soft."

Ruby and red, standing nearby, watched their mother with a mixture of surprise and disbelief. "Maybe you have a future, after all," Maddox remarked, "If you go to Auradon Prep, you get to leave Wonderland."

Ruby blinked, unable to fully process what she was hearing. "It doesn’t matter," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. "The only thing she hates more than Auradon is the idea of us  having our own life. So, I’m pretty sure that’s gonna be a ‘no.’"

The Queen’s next words, however, shocked her. "We accept!"

The twins mouths fell open, their  eyes wide with astonishment.

"Wait, hold on. Really?" Red asked

"Mmm-hmm," the Queen confirmed, nodding slightly.

"But you’ve always said that Auradon is the worst," Ruby protested, still trying to make sense of her mother’s sudden change of heart.

The Queen’s smile softened, though only just. "Well, with my daughters there, it might not always be."

The tension in the room eased, the menacing music replaced by a more hopeful melody. The Queen’s eyes met Ruby’s, and for the first time in a long while, there was a flicker of something like understanding between them.

"You’re gonna let us go? You?" Ruby’s voice was filled with disbelief, and perhaps, just a hint of hope.

The Queen nodded again. "Pack your bags."

Ruby shook her head in disbelief. "Am I hallucinating, or did our mom just grow a heart?"

The Queen’s expression hardened slightly. "And put on something respectable, for once. Don’t embarrass me!"

Ruby’s grin was wide and genuine. "Okay, half a heart," she  quipped, before she and red dashed out of the room to prepare.

The Queen watched them go, a mixture of emotions swirling within her. She knew Ruby and red thought this was there ticket to freedom but that wasn't the case

This was her ticket to revenge.