Rise of Red Re-written (Book 1)

Chapter 2

"Where you going?!" Chloe runs as her father chases her. After sparring for a few more seconds, she manages to steal his sword. "Gotta!" She takes off her safety mask. King Charming pulls out two breadsticks from his pockets and manages to best her. "Dad, that's cheating." He takes off his mask. "No, that's delicious." He laughs as Chloe rolls her eyes. "Don't take it so seriously, Chloe. We signed you up for Swords and Shields cause it was supposed to be fun." "Well, yeah it is. But when I'm out there, I'm not just another competitor. I represent Cinderellasburg." Charming smiles. "You sound like your mother." "Don't listen to him." Ella walks up to them. "Your father's never cared about what other people think." "I don't have to," he shrugs, "I'm charming." Ella playfully scoffs. "That's debatable." He takes her hand as she starts to hum. "Dad....mom...." Chloe starts to whine as she rolls her eyes at them.

So this is love. Mmmm. So this is love. So is what makes life divine. I'm all aglow. And now i know (and now i know) the key to all heaven is mine....

"You know, this was the first song your mom and i ever danced to back when we were in school." "We fell in love at Castlecoming." Chloe rolls her eyes once again. Not this story again. "Yeah, i know. You guys tell me every time. And i know you have a healthy relationship and all, but come on." Ella smiles at her. "And it's a good thing too or we wouldn't have been able to create this amazing family. Don't worry honey, you'll find your princess charming some day. I promise." Her parents knew of her homosexuality and they were more than supportive of her. Maybe a little too supportive, while trying to set her up with one of their friends or their servant's daughter. But she was grateful nonetheless. "Now, i know you packed last night, but you think you might have room for one more pair of shoes?" One of their servants walks out with a giant box in hand. Ella lifts the top to reveal brand new glass tennis shoes. "Mom! They're just like yours! But even cooler." She touches the material. "You earned them Chloe. You got straight A's last year." "And volunteered for the Auradon Historical Society." Charming adds. "And the thing I'm most proud of, is that you're such a good person. That's why you're a great princess and why you'll make a great queen." Chloe smiles. "These are some big shoes to fill." Ella glances at her and the shoes. "Are you gonna try them on or what?" She smiles as Chloe hurriedly takes the shoes inside the house to get ready for orientation.

Back in Wonderland, Red was sleeping peacefully in bed when one of her servants knocked on her door. "Princess? The Queen has requested your presence for court this morning!" Red groans as she sits up. "Great, another day in hell." She starts getting ready, looking through her wardrobe. "Now, which outfit will piss off my mom the most?" She smirks as she grabs an outfit off the hanger and starts changing.

"Her royal heiness! Her grace! Her excellency! Her magnanimous Majesty! Empress of Wonderland, the Queen of Hearts!" All the guards and townsfolk kneel to the Queen as she makes her entrance. She looks around at the royal plaza to find spray paint everywhere, roses were cut, vases were smashed and her portrait ripped, torn straight down the middle with paint splattered on it. "Your Majesty." They all greet her. "Who is responsible?" "We don't know your royal heiness." The Jack of Diamonds responds. She waves her other servants who were carrying her away. She groans as she stands. "I've doubled the guard, tripled the patrol, and personally offered ten diamonds for any information that leads to the capture of the criminal." Red walks up with two guards by either side. "Her royal heiness, Princess Red!" She sees her mother in the middle of an altercation with Jack. "Oh i see you couldn't be bothered to dress for court. I find that outfit....offensive." Her mother eyes her. "I wish being me didn't offend you." Red snaps back. The queen sighs. "Sorry to rouse you out of bed before noon, but while you were sleeping, the royal plaza was vandalized. And this sorry excuse for a soldier failed to protect my portrait. So the question is, what do we do? Poke thorns in his eyes? Off with his head?" She starts shuffling a card in her hand. "Since you'll be queen one day, I'll let you decide." Red glances at Jack before turning back to her mother. "It's up to me?" She asks as the queen nods. She takes a deep breath as feels conflicted in the situation. All of this was her doing but she can't let her mother know that. But she also couldn't let Jack die. Red and the Jack of Diamonds actually go way back. They were once childhood friends until her mother started locking her away in her room and made her learn all the laws and legislations of Wonderland, a preparation for her to become queen someday, no doubt.