Blinding Light: A Sleeping Beauty and Snow Queen Remix

Chapter 12

A/N: I'm cheating. That's a Princess Luna Fresthan and Brandon Bates picture I meant to use all the way back in HFL^^^

Viviana sat frozen as Santiago, Jeanette, and even Preisha exited the car.

Why are we here? Santiago must have gone crazy. But then again, he doesn't know what happened the last time I accidentally bumped into Luna of Yaquir. That was more awkward than anything else, but I'd rather not relive it. Not to mention, what if Brandon's here? He'll expose me!

No, wait, deep breaths. He's probably not even here. It's the second castle. Luna and Brandon probably spend most of their time in Anadoma anyway, because that's where the first castle is. And one comes before two.

She had no idea where Brandon and Luna spent most of their time. None. And she despised going into complex situations blindly.

Someone knocked on her car window, which had been closed when Santiago parked the car.

"Coming, Viv?" Santiago asked, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets and tugging on a pair of gloves.

Viviana grumbled and opened the car door, tugging on her red snow boots to make sure they wouldn't fall off.

Ok, so maybe now was a great time to admit she was dressed like a red beacon, because she hoped it would hide any accidental magic sparks and make her visible in blizzard like conditions.

She couldn't imagine that walking in looking like a giant apple would be very beneficial for a first impression. But she'd technically already made one of those.

"At least you left your pointy hat in the suitcase." Preisha waved her tail across the ground, creating a wave of steam wherever she touched the ground. "It would be worse if you walked inside looking like an apple witch."

Viviana rolled her eyes. She wished she could say Preisha was lying, but it was true. She had brought a traditional pointed witch's hat along with her, mostly so she could go straight to graduation after saving Princess Isabelle.

Just because I'm missing the last few weeks before the end of school for a 'vacation' doesn't mean I can't attend graduation.

...or maybe it was wishful thinking.

Preisha walked up the stairs in front of her, melting the snow wherever her paws touched. Viviana still didn't know if it was purposeful or not. But as long as she followed in her familiar's footsteps, she didn't have to worry about ice.

The snow was slightly slushy underneath her red boots, but crunchy where road salt had been scattered to reduce ice. She preferred to focus on the tiny blue crystals she was stepping on than the intimidating castle in front of her.

Most castles were created to be welcoming and symbolic of both wealth and unity... which of course made no sense. But they at least seemed warm and full of life and laughter. That was not the vibe she was getting from this castle.

Her nerves were put on edge. It had an air of recovering neglect, as though it had been abandoned and recently rediscovered. And the recovery went deeper than that. The castle seemed cold and forbidding, despite all of the lights glittering in the windows in warm tones of yellow and orange.

Not to mention, the iron tang of magic gone wrong, a curse, faintly lingered in the air, tainting the atmosphere around and likely in the castle.

Preisha could feel it too. But unlike Viviana, she seemed unbothered.

"Come on! Vamos!  No estés temerosa." [Let's go! Don't be scared.]

"Stop calling me out!"