Never Happily Ever ((Complete)) #EAHWattyAwards2018

Chapter Thirteen: Darling Charming

Darling Charming slowly raised the blue teacup to her lips and sipped softly, then, put it back on it's saucer.

"Perfect," her mother Queen Charming complemented as she set down her own teacup.

"Thank you mother," Darling replied.

"Let's try it again."

So Darling slowly raised the cup to her lips again.

"Pinkie out."

Darling thrust her fifth finger out, and quietly scolded herself for not remembering. After all, Darling thinks to herself, I'm a princess and should know these things by now.

Darling carefully put her cup on the saucer again, and politely dabbed her chin with her folded napkin.

"Perfect," Queen Charming repeated.

"Thank you mother," Darling continued the sequence.

"Alright, I think that'll be all for now," Darling's mother said,"and don't forget to keep that pinkie up."

Darling nodded and left the dining hall. She headed up to her room. Wanting some privacy she locked the door.

Her room was a mix of light blues and off whites with a dash of pink here and there. Her brother Dexter's room was navy blue and gold while the eldest, Daring was gold, beige and a little bit of black.

Darling flopped onto her canopy bed and laid there just thinking and nestling into her own personal abyss. Darling thought of her abyss of her special place where no one could intrude; it was just her and her thoughts, screaming her heart out in her head.

Darling's abyss led her to Chase Redford as she lay on her bed staring up. It was kinda obvious that she would have a crush on him, but Darling couldn't sort out her true feelings in her mindful space.

After minutes of frustrating back and forth conversations with her self, Darling got up and brushed her hair to make it flat again.

Then she walked to the castle attic; AKA the junk room. Anything that nobody cared about was stored-better yet, thrown- into the wonderful room of junk.

The attic was dirty and musty, for no one had gone up there in a long time. Darling coughed and continued deeper into the room.

She rummaged through piles of broken toys, and books, and even some things that weren't broken or damaged. She continued further. She soon thought of the attic as her place to get away from her reality and sink into her abyss. She thought of all the time she would spend up here during the summer. Probably every moment that she isn't having fun with her family.

See, Darling's family is very into the whole: be proper kinda thing, but King Charming did know how to have fun with his kids, even if his wife didn't approve.

Darling hadn't seen her father very often during the school year since he was so busy with important stuff, so Darling was hextremely hexcited for their summer fun.

Darling shook her head and regained her senses. At the very back of the room Darling saw a glint of light. She walked towards it, her hands carefully in front of her, as the dim light barely helped.

Darling reached the shining object. She held her breath as she picked it up. It was a bit heavy but she lifted it.

It was a mirror. A shattered no good mirror, but the light reflected to show something else. Darling carefully set down the mirror and walked towards the other object. She crouched on her knees, and picked up the object.

It was big, and metal; cold, smooth metal. Darling picked the heavy metal up. It was armor and she was holding the breastplate. Darling rummaged around and found the rest of the armor.

She held it up into the light. It was shiny silver with a navy blue feather.

"Darling!"

Darling quickly dropped the armor with a loud clang.

"Darling!"

"I'm here!" came Darling's reply as she hurried towards the musty steps.

"What were you doing up there?" Queen Charming asked as Darling descended the steps of the attic.

"I was... um... I was looking for our old family photos," Darling lied.

Her mother gave her a skeptical look, "you do know that the attic is not where we keep our prized photos."

"Umm," Darling stammered,"I thought there were a couple of them up here, I guess I was wrong."

"We are having a family meeting in the parlor," her mother told her,"I hexpect you to be there Darling," and she walked off while shaking her head.

Darling sighed as she went to her bedroom. She wanted to stay there forever. But eventually she carefully walked to the parlor with perfect posture that was really hurting her back.

Just as she walked through the doors of the parlor, her brother Dexter came running in and knocked Darling on the light blue tile floor while his glasses flew off his face.

"Oh my," he said as he retrieved his glasses from the floor.

Darling knew that a prince was supposed to help a princess off the floor, but Darling didn't care. Plus, it was a common Dexter mistake to forget  proper etiquette. Darling got up and brushed off her skirt, and straitened her hair. Daring who was sitting by his father cringed.

"Dexterous," their mother scolded.

"Oh,"  Dexter pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and clumsily held out his had for the already standing up Darling. Darling took it playfully as they sat down.

"Children," Queen Charming started with a huff, "to enhance your fairytale, and royal knowledge, your father and I have planed something special for each of you."

"Daring my son," started King Charming,"you will be off to Damsel in Destress summer program. Dexter, you will go to Prince Prep and Darling will go to Princess Prep, which are both part of Royal Prep summer program."

"We have decided, that most of you," their mother eyed Dexter and Darling, "need a refresher of your duties."

"Yes," agreed their father as he looked at his two younger children,"it will enhance your summer experience. You are all dismissed."

The three children left the parlor. Darling bit the bottom of her lip. There goes the fun family summer.

Darling was about to go to her room when she heard a sniff. Dexter wiped a tear from his face.

Dexter caught her looking,"I'm not crying," he protested, straightening his jacket.

"Dex, it's alright," Darling tried to sooth.

Dexter shook his head and went to his room. Darling gave him a few minutes before deciding to go after him.

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Ahhhh! Guys I'm up to Darling!! Oh gosh I can't wait! Anyways, were on chapter 13 I'm so happy!!!!! Okay, well, I really hoped you guys liked this chapter. I know it doesn't really go anywhere but hopefully the next one does and then we're back to Ashlynn. Well, please vote and tell me what you think in the comments section. Bye for now!

-Isabelle