Tedros was anxiously working out. He had gotten the invitation to the Snow Ball. And as he climbed the Rapunzel based obstacle, he realized that there was no one that he would want to take to the ball at all. Everyone was rather dreadful and over obsessive.
Most of the girls were fakes, just like his mother. He remembered his father telling him, before he died, "The people will need a queen, Tedros. Don't make my mistakes. Look for the girl who is truly Good." Tedros had only been nine when his mother had left them for a wayward knight. And his father's best friend at that. Most girls were mistakes, and he was sure he wouldn't entertain them whatsoever.
♕♔♕
"It's contagious," Agatha moaned, solemnly. Evergirls everywhere bounded around the Clearing during lunch, showing each other their invitations and guffawking about the different shapes and sizes. Tedros ignored all of them, who kept saying that they wished he would ask them.
"Every challenge had to do with Ball beauty, Ball etiquette, Ball entranced, Ball History—"
Sophie sat with you both, but didn't listen. She gazed longingly at your peers, with her nauseating lunch of pig's feet. Agatha noticed.
"No," Agatha said firmly.
"But what if he asks me?" Sophie whined.
"Sophie, I agree." You spoke up. "He needs to kiss you now! Not take you a ball. That will hardly do you any good." You personally had mixed feelings about the ball. You did like a great party, but you feared no one would ask you. You weren't too clingy and didn't flirt with the boys as much as others did, so you doubted most of them even knew your name. They just knew you as a pretty face, as your wilted roses that you kept from the Welcoming represented.
"Don't you know your fairy tales? If he takes me to the Ball, then he'll kiss me! Like Cinderella at midnight! Kisses always happen at the ball! And by then, my shorn hair will have grown and I'll have fixed my shoes—oh no, the gown! Can you steal some charmeus from one of the girls? Some crepe de chine too. And tulle! Mountains and mountains of tulle! Preferably in pink, but I can always dye it, though tulle never looks quite right dyed. Perhaps we should go with chiffon, then. Much more manageable."
Agatha blinked and didn't say anything. You didn't either, you had stopped listening once she opened her mouth.
"You're right, I should ask him first," Sophie said, taking your silence as confirmation, and leapt up. "No frowns, darling. It'll be easy as pie. You'll see! Princess Sophie at a Ball!"
"What are you—YOU'LL RUIN EVERYTHI—" Agatha screeched.
But Sophie had already flounced to the Ever's side, plopped next to Tedros, and held out her pail.
"Hello handsome. Want some of my...feet?" You facepalmed. Having followed her, you stood against a tree of to the side and watched their interaction. Tedros looked at you and misfired his marble into Chaddick's eyes. The entire Clearing went silent.
He turned to her, "Your girlfriends, calling."
Sophie gazed at Agatha, who had now become the subject of his attention and waved her off.
"She's just upset," Sophie sighed. "You were right, Tedros. She and I are too close. That's why I left in the middle of glass yesterday. To tell her it's time I make Good friends now."
"Dot said you left because you were sick."
Sophie coughed. "Oh, well, I had a bit of a cold—"
"She said it was diarrhea." You almost snorted.
"Diarr—" Sophie composed herself. "You know Dot. Always making things up."
"She doesn't seem like a liar to me."
"Oh she's always lying. Just to get attention. Since she's, well she's...you know..."
Tedros raised his eyebrows, daring her to continue. "Since she's..."
"Fat."
"I see." Tedros lined up his marble and leaned back. "Funny, isn't it. She crawled into empty graves to eat enough worms for the two of you, just so you wouldn't fail. Said you're her best friend."
"Did she?" Sophie saw Dot waving at her. "How depressing." She turned to Tedros, who was preparing to shoot. "Do you remember when we first met, Tedros? It was in the Blue Forest. Nothing that happened after matterns, not you punching me or calling me a never of you landing in poo. What matters is what you felt at first sight. You wanted to rescue me, Tedros. And her I am."
You scoffed internally. This was going awful.
Sophie folded her hands in her lap. "Whenever you're ready, then"
Tedros looked up at her. "What?"
"To ask me to the Ball," Sophie said, smiling.
The prince's face was unchanged.
"I know it's a bit early, but a girl does have to plan," Sophie pressed.
"Speak for yourself." You put in causing Tedros to grin at you.
Beatrix shoved in. "No room for Nevers,"
"What? There's plenty of room," Sophie huffed as she was shoved by Renna and six other girls, and Sophie was pushed out of the circle entirely. She whirled to Tedros to defend her.
"Can you go away?" he said, eyes on his marble. "You're blocking my view." You turned away to conceal your smile.
Leaving with Sophie, you spoke, "Easy as pie, hmm?"
Sophie blew past Agatha as you approached her—
"Humble pie!" Agatha shouted. You sat down next to her and doubled over laughing. This would be harder than you thought.
a/n
it's been a long time since i've updated and i sincerely apologize. anyways, i hope this chapter is up to your standards.
- l.i.
