The Archer's Legacy

★彡02|10 - "Hi, Evie, it's me."彡★

"And you're sure she's locked up?" Y/n asked one more time, pacing in front of her mother's throne. It had already been almost two weeks since the messenger had appeared at their cottage and a dozen more security checks had been run before they could leave and start the detailedly strategized trip back to the castle.

Now, she was seeing her mother for the first time in months and, having got over the initial excitement, she had some questions. Of course, Y/n did trust her mother but it all seemed too... simple. In fact, according to her mother's words, the Red Queen had willingly stopped her plans and given the authority back to Mad Hatter.

"Absolutely," the queen confirmed once more. "The safest faculty in both Wonderland and the North, it has guards from both countries with different training rotating twenty-four hours a day." Her tired eyes followed her daughter's movements. "What's the problem, bairn?"

"I'd..." Y/n took a deep breath. "I'd like to go back to Auradon Prep now that everything is over."

"No."

"What? Mum, I have friends there!" the girl argued, gesturing wildly as her irritation grew.

"You also have a responsibility to your people and as crown princess, you should be present," Queen Merida argued again. "And it would be safer for you to not leave the castle for a while, just in case the Red Queen still has followers out there."

Y/n let out an irritated huff. "I won't argue with you, mum." Not after months of not being sure whether you're alive or not.

"Good, because I won't argue with you either," Merida said resolutely, sitting down again.

The teen in the room huffed and turned on her heel, marching out of the throne room and past whoever was next in line to talk to her mother. Ain't no way I'm going to be cooped up here after months of being cooped up in some cottage in the woods, Y/n thought angrily, making her way out of the castle. She'd thought that maybe her mother of all people would understand! Just no way.

With a sigh, the girl stopped and plopped down on a bench, fishing her phone out of her pocket. It felt weird to use it after nearly five months but nevertheless, she dialled Evie's number.

It rang a few times before a voice came through the line. "Evie Grimhilde speaking."

Y/n smiled at the familiar voice. She hadn't heard it in a while, after all. "Hi, Evie, it's me."

In Auradon, Evie dropped her pen. "Y/n?!"

Her exclamation alerted Carlos and Jay, lounging on the sofa behind her and playing video games. Carlos was, of course, the first to spring up and whisper-shout to Evie, "Put it on speaker!"

"Uhh, Y/n, you're on speaker now," Evie filled the girl in, complying to her friend's wish.

"Oh, okay, who am I talking with?" came from the other end of the line.

Carlos' stomach did a flip. He hadn't heard the voice in months and yet it still had the same effect on him.

"I have Carlos and Jay here with me, Mal's away right now with Ben. I assume you know," Evie answered, observing the boys' faces carefully. Jay was clearly happy to talk to an old friend but there was something about Carlos that she couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Oh, okay. Well, I just wanted to say that the conflict is over and I'm back home now so—"

"You're coming back?" Carlos cut in, excited.

Y/n, on her park bench, deflated a little bit at the hope in his voice. "I don't know," she admitted. "I don't think my mum wants me to go anywhere yet too much so don't get your hopes up... But I'll try my best to convince her."

"Well, in about two weeks or so we have a cotillion so I do hope you'll be back so I get to make you a dress," Evie's voice chimed, not having lost a spark of hope.

"I hope so, too," Y/n said, a little smile making its way onto her face. She imagined showing up to the dance, happy and glad and wearing one of Evie's incredible works while Carlos waited for her at the bottom of the steps to take her danci— Y/n blinked. What? What was that? With a quick shake of her head, she rid herself of the daydreams and put on a smile again. "Well, that's all I had to say," she admitted to her friends. "Just wanted to let you know that I'm alright and everything's okay."

"Thank you, Y/n," Evie said, being the one to respond again. "But I imagine you have to go do stuff as you haven't been home in a while."

Y/n was suddenly reminded of the schoolwork she'd been putting off. "Yeah, guess so," she laughed. "Well, bye, guys. Hope to see you soon!"

After receiving three byes back, she ended the call, leaning back with a sigh as she thought of the chemistry, physics and maths awaiting her. Why did I have to be so lazy?