Never Happily Ever ((Complete)) #EAHWattyAwards2018

Chapter Seventeen: Ashlynn Ella

The garden was beautiful. Rows and rows filled with exotic flowers, all nearly sorted. With the maze in the center of it all. And, Ashlynn took care of the wilting flower.

"This is a majestic garden Princess," Prince Banilace admired.

"Thank you."

"My favorite part of any garden is their maze," he hinted.

"Oh, actually I would rather not do that," Ashlynn suggested.

"Okay, would you like to just walk around?" Prince Banilace asked.

"That sounds good."

So the pair walked around the neat rows of flowers in silence.

"Princess can I take a chance with you?" Prince Banilace asked while biting his lip.

"Of course," Ashlynn answered.

"I... Well," he started to stutter, "I... All these times when I use these royally correct words like 'alright' or 'I suppose so' it makes me want to say 'sure' or 'yeah' but it's not... well obviously not polite to say so."

Ashlynn laughed a little, "I thought I was the only one who wanted to say those things. You know what I mean?"

"Yes! Yes I do!" Prince Banilace hexclaimed, "you can just call me Bane, by the way."

"You can call me Ashlynn, no 'princess' is required."

"Well then Ashlynn..." Bane trailed off.

The pair walked in silence around the low hedges for a while, glad that it was easier to talk to each other.

"You said you go to Ever After High right?" Prince Bane asked, wanting to start a conversation.

"Yeah, I do."

"Do you like it there?"

"Yes, it's a lot of fun!" Ashlynn hexclaimed, "but there's a lot of pressure." her face turned sour.

"What do you mean?"

"I... well, I shouldn't really..." Ashlynn didn't finish her sentence as she was lost in thought, and Bane didn't pursue.

"We should sit down," Bane told Ashlynn. Ashlynn nodded and sat on a stone bench.

"I'm sorry for not being a good host," Ashlynn apologized after the two were seated.

"It's okay," Bane soothed, "your bothered, but it's okay if you don't want to talk about it."

"It's just... argh!" Ashlynn groaned, then took a deep breath and she picked on a loose seem in her glove.

"Can I be honest with you?" She asked Bane.

"Of course Ashlynn," he replied.

"I..." Ashlynn twiddled her thumbs, a sign of nervousness. "It's just that my mother keeps setting me up with men, and it's frustrating! She's trying to be a little more accommodating then she had it in her story, at least she is letting me get to know some of the suitors. But I'm probably going to get invited to all these balls, and my mother will pick which one I go too, and that would probably be my suitor. But they would also have to be willing to invite all the maidens in their land, hoping I will attend their ball. It seems annoying that u won't be chosen because I'm well... me, I'll be chosen for my wealth, and my looks!"

"I would invite you to a ball of mine Ashlynn, because I would be willing to take the chance that you'll be there."

Ashlynn looked into Bane's sparkling brown eyes, and blushed, "Thank you"

"But that's not all, is it?" Bane asked, after Ashlynn huffed.

She shook her head, "at my school, Ever After High, well the headmaster there is, well, very insistent on all of us fulfilling our destinies. And there is this group, that some people call the Rebels, and they don't want their destinies. Like Raven Queen daughter of the Evil Queen, and others. The people who want their destinies are called Royals." Ashlynn paused for a moment to let that sink in, "I came out as a rebel last year."

Prince Bane nodded silently, "you really don't want your destiny?"

Ashlynn shook her head.

"Is most of the school Royals or Rebels?"

Ashlynn thought about that, "I think most are rebels, we want to pave our own path and not just walk in our parents foot steps. Some people have just learnt to accept it."

"I can't believe it."

"Why not?"

Prince Bane chuckled, and picked up a stick, "do you mind if I draw in the dirt like a two year old."

Ashlynn shrugged.

Bane drew a triangle, then divided it into three sections horizontally. The bottom one was the biggest, it made the shape of a trapezoid, the middle was a smaller trapezoid, and the top was a small triangle.

"This is the class system," Bane explained, "the higher you are, usually the wealthy ones, the less there are of you kind."

Ashlynn nodded in agreement.

Bane pointed to the lowest section,"this is all the common folks," then he pointed to the middle section, "this is all of the regular princes and princesses, and kings, queens etc. all the royalty." He then pointed to the smallest level, "this is the fairytale children or the fairytale characters themselves. Usually each person aspires to be the level on top. And it's the same in my school. Each prince and princess' dream, is to make it to the fairytale world, and marry into it. Everyone wants to have their destinies set, and know that they'll live happily ever after."

Ashlynn nodded, "do people ever think about the villains in the story?"

Bane shook his head, "not really. But I want to show you something."

Bane erased his drawing with the side of his stick, and started over again. Instead though, he drew the bottom layer, then the small triangle, and then the middle layer.

"Why did you switch the top and middle layer?"

Bane stared at the picture before answering,"you see Ashlynn, it doesn't make sense, and there is no balance. If the storybook children, want to aspire to be like regular royalty, it doesn't make sense. There will always be more royalty that wants to be like you, then storybook characters that want to be like them."

Ashlynn studied the picture, "I never thought about it that way."

"I just don't know what will happen," Bane dropped his stick in the dirt.

Ashlynn got up from the bench, "do you want to continue to walk around?"

Bane agreed, and the two set off.

They walked around the low hedges, and rows of flowers. They turned and sat by the fountain for a while, all while talking. It had become easier to talk with Bane then Ashlynn had ever imagined. He was charming, funny and really easy going.

Eventually, Ashlynn decided to try the maze, after Bane's continuos hinting of his desire to try it. They went into the easy part, and Ashlynn took the map, even though she knew the route by heart.

They both took a stroll through the maze, and laughed when they made a wrong turn. Ashlynn was happy with Bane.

They talked about a lot of things. Embarrassing moments when they were kids, and a little gossip along they way. They told jokes to each other, and made cute animal faces. They had a good time together, but Ashlynn knew it was just friendly play. She had no real feelings toward him.

The topic of destinies was never brought up again, and Ashlynn was okay with that. But she never forgot what Prince Banilace had said.

•••
Another chapter done! I really liked writing it. It was so much fun to create Bane's character. Anyway, tell me what you think of him in the comments section. Please don't forget to vote, it really makes my day!

-Isabelle