So, This Is Love?

Chapter 23

Red's POV

She hangs up the call with a deep sigh as she heads down to the dinner table, but there wasn't any food on the long table that goes across the hall. Instead she finds her mom in another room that has a table and chairs only for the both of them.

"Mom?" She peeks her head through the door.

"Rosebud, please sit." Her mom softly smiles as she points to the seat across her.

"Why aren't we eating at the grand hall?" Cautiously taking a seat while eyeing her.

Her mom chuckles. "The grand hall is now reserved for parties, and it gets lonely eating with that big of a space alone, darling. Sometimes, I think I'm going mad from the silence."

She nods while her mom hands her pieces of food that she hasn't seen or eaten in a while but nonetheless accepts it with slight skepticism.

"I... I'm gonna be totally honest here, this feels so strange." Taking a fork and jabbing a piece of cake.

"Stranger than Wonderland?" Her mom softly laughs.

"Very strange." She sighs, placing back her fork after eating the piece. "It's more bright and less strict with curfews."

Beginning to tap her finger on the table like the White Rabbit's foot, she couldn't help but blurt out her thoughts. "I told Chloe I love her."

She watches her mom give the widest grin ever even wider that the Cheshire Cat's as cards suddenly appear in her hands and toss them in the air, erupting hearts out of bubbles. "Oh, Red! That is splendid."

"But there's one more thing I have to add..." She pursed her lip.

Her mom raises an eyebrow. "Huh? What is it, my rose?"

"She told me my eyes glowed red again, but I wasn't even angry or felt threatened?" She bites the inside of her cheek.

"How strange... Very strange indeed. Though it is said that it happens when pure love is displayed." Her mom smiles. "You really love her truly, don't you?"

"More than life itself." She nods, smiling to herself.

She hears her hum in response, glancing out the window and seeing the night sky having a soft shade of pink mixed with the dark blue. It was peaceful, too peaceful and quiet even for her, but if this was her chance to experience that quiet, she'd hold it close to her like how Chloe holds her heart.

After dinner, she walks along the halls as her hands trace over all the paintings and furniture she comes across. Most of the frames on the wall were something she hadn't seen before, some were her and her mom, others were from previous generations of rulers, a few were the younger versions of her mom and Ella and some were of her and Chloe as kids. Stopping and staring at little Chloe, she happily scoffs at how adorable her girlfriend was next to her stubborn younger self.

Chloe Cordelia Grace Charming, how you enamored my heart and mind is beyond surprising in the best way possible.

Walking further, she sees a portrait of her alongside Chloe, where they don't look older than 14, formally dressed with their signature colors and their hair neatly done, hers were practically straightened while the girl's were tied half up with braids. Taking a few steps back and sliding down against the wall, she continues staring at the painting, noticing the way her eyes were painted slightly looking at the girl beside her, that familiar look in her eyes she knows all too well for doing it every time. Her girlfriend adorned a light blue and gold dress that made the princessest of princesses look like commoners, to simply put it she was breathe-takingly beautiful compared to her, who looked begrudgingly forced to take this portrait in a tight red and black dress that hugged every corner of her body, though the dressed looked nice, she still managed to tolerate the dress by subtly staring at the girl beside her.