Fairytale Wars

Where It All Began [Pt. 2]

Years pass, time flows... and children begin to grow up. Now budding into their teen years, their futures are racing towards them at breakneck speeds. It's terrifying, of course, but nowhere near as scary as the strange new feelings growing inside of them, and the plans their parents have for them...

* * *

Zara, her hair bound in pigtails, twirled across the empty ballroom, dancing with a dashing prince... or rather, her fireflies, all grouped together to form something that LOOKED like a prince. Not as good as the real thing, but for a dance partner, they'd do just fine.

*  *  *

Unlike Zara, Chancellor's day was hardly carefree so far. His morher had called him in to have a talk about his future royal duties... and the training he'd soon start for them.
Absinthe, meanwhile, waited for her friends outside in the garden, a massive leather-bound book perched on her lap, she diligently took notes on the words inked across the worn, yellowing pages. Her herbology lesson was on poisonous plants, and she wanted to make sure she knew everything she could for the exam.
She'd have to keep studying a bit longer, though, because Chancellor and his mother were still talking.
"Can't we just do it next time?" The young prince whined, "I-I'm not ready!"
Ardynth smiled faintly and put a hand on her son's golden-brown hair. "Chancellor, there is no next time. It must start today."
"But... what about my friends?!"
"Not to worry, dear, you'll have all day Saturday and Sunday to spend with them. Tell you what, I'll arrange classes this coming Monday, so you'll have plenty of time to prepare yourself, all right?"
Chancellor, feeling very unready and with very little confidence, looked away from his mother and frowned.
"Yes... Mother..."
Ardynth kissed her son on the forehead. "That's my boy... Now go, your friends are waiting." She smiled.
Chancellor looked up at her and gave her a somewhat nervous smile in return before rushing away to find his friends.
Ardynth watched him go, her smile fading.
"I do hope everything will be all right..."

* * *

Just then, the clock chimed, and Zara was snapped from her happy fantasy of dancing gracefully with her true love.
"Oh no!! They're gonna kill me!!!" She cried, then took off running, sending her firefly prince scattering, before they regrouped and followed her to where Chancellor and Absinthe were waiting in the garden. She waved as she reached them, shouting, "I'm here! I'm here!" As she approached, just before face-planting onto the ground.
Chancellor, ignoring her, groaned.
"This sucks." He complained.
"Careful, Zara." Absinthe said, not even looking up from her work, then added to Chancellor, "What sucks?"
"Royal training. It starts this Monday, so I'll only see you guys on the weekends and breaks or holidays. And it starts earlier than usual! I told my mom I'd do it at the age of 18." He explained, a mournful tone to his voice.
"Seriously?!" Absinthe cried indignantly. "I get it though... my mom started training me early, too." She added sympathetically.
Zara stood up suddenly. "Training?!" She rushed to Absinthe and hugged her. "Take a break from it! Play with me instead!" She pleaded, gazing up at the older girl with wide eyes.
"GAH-- I can't, I have a huge exam coming up. It's important, part of training, which is also important. Right, Chancellor?"
"Right... and since my father keeps making himself sick with stress, mom keeps worrying, so training's even more important than normal."
Zara sighed sadly.
Chancellor sighed too. "Being a teenager sucks... we're all so busy, we're becoming distant." He laid down with his arms behind his head. A long, heavy silence passed between them.
Eventually, Absinthe spoke.
"My mom wants to send me away to boarding school."
This announcement was met with shock, obviously.
"Why?!" Zara demanded, tugging on Absinthe. "Don't leave!"
Chancellor sat up suddenly, surprise and hurt written all over his face. "WHAT?! WHY??? Away...? From us? As in... a different kingdom?! But... why?!"
Absinthe, trying very hard not to cry, began explaining. "Not just another kingdom... a whole different continent. There's an elite school of witchcraft there, and I got a full scholarship. It takes five years to graduate there."
"FIVE YEARS?! But... when will you get back...?" Chancellor demanded, staring at Absinthe with wide, sad eyes.
"I'm not sure... it's really far."
"Then I'll come too," Zara declared, "I can't stand the three of us being apart!"
"But... I can't leave. I have royal duties... to stay here, and train, and become the king... so I can give the people what they want. A good ruler."
Another heavy silence passed.
"When are you leaving?" Chancellor asked finally.
"I'm not sure. Nothing's been decided, but she really wants me to go."
Chancellor looked up now. "Then we have to make the most of it."
Zara took both her friends by the hands, smiling. "Chan-Chan's right! We're teenagers now! We can travel and explore the world together, even if it's only for a little while! At least we'll be together!"
"Today's Wednesday... we can take a road trip and explore different towns? Maybe even the forest, we can try to find something mystical there!"
"Wait, what? Do any of us have time for this?"
"We'll MAKE time!"
"My mom will KILL me..."
"Won't ours as well?"
"Good point..."
"Just like the old days!"
Absinthe laughed. "Yeah..."
"Sometimes you just gotta break the rules!" Said Zara, grinning.
She then took the other two by the arms and began towing them along, ready to have one last adventure...

* * *

Hours later, they arrived in a picturesque little village. It was now dusk, but many citizens were still out and about. The trio took everything in excitedly, intoxicated by all the new sights and sounds, and the pure thrill of adventure.
Chancellor looked around, eyes gleaming, and declared everything to look exactly like a history book he'd once read. Zara, dressed in her butler's clothes, commented on the heat.
"Is this where Aladdin lives?"
"No... he lives in a desert." Chancellor replied.
"Hm. Maybe the goose girl, then?"
Absinthe gasped. "I love that story! I hope I get to be part of a story that romantic... even though I'll have to play the villain..."
"Huh? What story?"
"The Goose Girl! Haven't you heard it, Chancellor?"
"No, I don't really read that stuff."
"But it's part of our history!"
He looked at her. "So? Do I really need to know all the stories when I'm crowned king?"
"Well, it might be helpful when you're given your OWN story, even if you have it easier since you're an Ever After."
He sighed. "I have a lot of reading to do when I get home."
Absinthe was about to reply when the three of them began to hear their names being called, probably by men sent by their parents. Zara, who had been happily dancing around, stopped and hurried to join the others.
"We have company."
"I can take care of this..." Absinthe began rummaging through the bag of potions she carried with her.
"How are you gonna make them go away?"
"I'm not."
"What?"
"I'm gonna make US go away." She pulled out a vial of bubbly purple liquid and took a sip, and she immediately vanished. The vial was still visible, and she held it out to her two companions.
Chancellor watched all this in awe, completely transfixed. He was the next to drink the potion, and when he vanished Zara was left alone.
"Where'd you guys go?" She asked, but Absinthe, who was visible to Chancellor now that he had taken the potion, was grinning from ear to ear. "Cool, huh?"
"Very! Wait... where's Zara?"
"Still hasn't taken the potion."
Chancellor was hit with the sudden realization that he and Absinthe were alone, and immediately tensed up. She didn't notice his sudden stiffness and prattled on, trying to figure something out.
"...so we'll just have to wait until she figures it out."
"What if she gets caught?" Chancellor asked, deliberately avoiding eye contact.
Absinthe replied with confidence, "she won't. I'll make sure she doesn't." Her face and voice carried so much determination, she looked much older just then, much more mature.
Chancellor's heart skipped a beat. 'What's this feeling...? Maybe it'll go away... calm yourself, Chancellor.' He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to snap out of it, but it did nothing. He still felt that strange, fluttery nervousness.
Oblivious, Absinthe was still trying to formulate a plan, pacing before a very confused Zara, who could neither see or hear them.
"Got a plan?"
"We could try just putting the bottle in front of her, but that's a little vague..." she tapped her finger against her chin, thinking, and green light sparked from her fingertips.
"Or..." Absinthe grinned.
"Or what...?"
"Check this out." Absinthe ran over to Zara, and using her glowing fingers began to write a message in the ground.
"Uhhh..." Zara stared at it,then her face lit up in understanding.
"Oh! I get it!" She began looking around for the potion.
"Yesss!" Absinthe said triumphantly, running back over to Chancellor.
"Uhhh... Sinthe... the potion's wearing off."
"Uh oh..."
Just as they started to become visible, Chancellor's body moved on its own. In one swift motion, he placed his hands on either side of Absinthe's face, pulled her to him, and kissed her.
 

  She opened her eyes wide in shock, but after a moment closed her eyes. Now they were fully visible, and Zara was staring at them. Chancellor released Absinthe and took a step away, his face bright red.

"IT'S... IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS!"
Zara didn't say anything. She just dropped her hat and ran into the forest blindly, not thinking about it. Tears streamed down her face, and Chancellor and Absinthe stood where they were, shocked.
"W-WAIT! ZARA!" Chancellor called. "Crap..."
Absinthe fixed her glare on him. "What were you THINKING?!" she didn't wait for his answer, just took off running after Zara, leaving Chancellor in the dust.
"WAIT!" He called, following her. So much for an adventure.