#beetaur

Raven Queen stared up above her. Almost like a trance, her gaze was almost magnetized to the stone ceiling that hung overhead as the shadows continued to movie at their own rhythm. She could feel the heat radiating from each flicker as it licked at her skin, sending short bursts of goosebumps running down her body. Sprawled out in front of the fire place in the den she grew up in? There was no other place she would rather be.

Why did she enjoy moments like this? Why was it that as a child her favorite memories were things like this? Was it because of how the light and the shadows danced around, pushing against one another, reminding her of the destiny that would one day reflect her future? Or was it simply a reminder of old stories of prince and princesses dancing together that her father would read to her before she would head off to slumber. She didn’t know the answer. And honestly she didn’t really care why; it was the most beautiful scenery to her-

“Raven, are you cold?”

-Well, second most beautiful scenery. Raven finally managed to tear her attention away from the spectacle scenery and lay her gaze on another picture perfect image. Her hair was reminiscent of days long ago with strands as blue as clear days and white as the purest of snow form. Raven couldn’t help but stare at her peach perfect cheeks as the shadows that danced on the ceiling now seemed to move to her flawless skin. She couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.

Darling Charming tossed another log into the fire place, never one to enjoy the cold chill that lingers in the winter season, then turned to look back over to her other, noticing her staring blankly at her. “What’s wrong Raven?” she asked

“Nothing…” Raven answered, “Just thinking about the most beautiful girl in the world.”

Darling smiled, a tint of red rose on her cheeks underlying the shadows that frolicked. “You aren’t bad looking yourself. You are the fairest in the land after all.” She said in a teasing tone.

There was a sudden sullen change in the mood. “No…that isn’t true…” Raven’s gaze instinctively casted away from Darling, “I-I’m nothing special…I’m just an ugly witch.” She said with a pained expression, a look that had been weighed down by years of abuse.

Darling grimaced as she watched her other half turn her back towards her as a sign to end their conversation. She knew of the relationship that Raven had with her mother as a small child as well as the way the children of her family’s kingdom had treated her after her mother’s banishment; it was just that Darling just didn’t realize just how those deep those scars ran. In hindsight, her issue with her family locking her away for being “too beautiful” was simply incomparable.

Darling spoke up. “Raven…I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to-” But she cut her own self off. The tension in the air grew thick, threatening to suffocate anyone that tried to breath in the atmosphere. Darling’s shoulders started to ache for the longing to see Raven smile.

A single moment of silence passed. “Can...can we just drop it?” Raven finally spoke up. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Darling casted her gaze away from her black bird, losing heart as her aching shoulders drooped in disappointment. She knew that Raven hated her own reflections. But now she knew why. It was because she hated seeing her past-self reflected back at her.

“Raven… I-” but her voice caught in her throat. She didn’t know what to say. This home they have found themselves in was empty. It was just the two of them now. Things have changed since Raven’s father-

“Raven…” Darling spoke up, an idea popping in her head. “Watch me dance…” This was the only thing she could do to keep the spinning gears in her head from self-destructing.

A silence fell filling the room as quiet as the winter night that fell outside the castle walls. Raven body shifted as she turned her gaze over her shoulder and up at Darling – as if finally responding to her pleas. “What did you just say?” Raven asked in confusion with an expression on her face that truly believed that her ears were playing a prank on her.

Inside Darling’s mind she smiled, she had finally gotten Raven’s attention. She straightened her posture out as if she was trying to gather all her courage into her center. She swallowed down her fear because she knew this was going to be her only chance. “Raven, I-I want you to watch me.” She repeated herself. “I want you to watch me dance.” She said with a strong conviction in her tone – not for Raven, but for herself.

Before their relationship. Before their Graduation. Before Wonderland. Before the White Knight. Before Legacy Day. Even before Ever After High. Before everything. Darling was, is, a female Charming and she was raised as such. Before she ever trained with Bishop and Rook she had already mastered the art of “prissy.” Before she had ever picked up her sword she already mastered the art of beauty pageant.

Darling wasn’t one to toot her own horn but she was truly one of the most graceful princesses in the land of Ever After. At least that was what winning grand prize ten years in a row of “Little Miss Queen” had once told her – it would have been Eleven years had it not been for Wei Zhu, son of Hua Mulan, showing up and winning first place just to spite her. Darling wasn’t bitter about that. No sire. Not one bit.

Raven sat up and straightened her posture looking Darling in the eye. “uh…okay” Raven responded in a tone that was both a mix of confusion and curiosity. “I would love to see you dance.”

Darling took in a deep breath as she nodded slowly. “Okay then…” the fact that Raven was willing to watch her obliterated her worries. She now had the conviction. She was certain she could do this. She stood up.

Raven watched Darling in bewilderment, never tearing her gaze away, as she circled around her. Raven was now sitting between Darling and the fire place.

The view of the woman watching her in anticipation nearly left Darling speechless – luckily this was something that needed no words - swallowing her fear hard, she grabbed both ends of the hem of her dress with both hands, she bent down knee and gave Raven a curtesy bow as if asking the wordless question “May I begin?”

Raven said nothing but only nodded in anticipation. What came next blew her away.

A silence fell into the room; the only sound was the light footfall against the stone floor. The silence was why the scene before Raven was so beautiful, it left her speechless.

The way that Darling Charming danced for Raven almost reflected the way that the young woman was feeling. Raven was never a dancing type of person, that was more Duchess or Justine’s area of expertise, and the only time she had seen a ballet of any kind was when their mother took them to one when she was but a small child – it of course was about her. But the way the woman moved about? It captivated all of her senses.

As she moved, Darling’s throat tightened, she couldn’t breathe. She could feel Raven’s eyes glued to her movements. Outside of contests, she had only danced a few times when she was younger; be it during her Charming princess training or whenever she would dance for her father on his birthday. This, right here, was the first time she had danced for a single person’s gaze. And it was Raven of all people watching her.

The way that she moved kept Raven’s attention as she could only watch anxiously with every move that the other woman made. “Woah…amazing…” Raven said finally breaking the silence.

Darling moved her hands to the back of her neck. “Watch this…” she responded without a second thought. And with a single motion she flicked her hair.

To the untrained eye it would seem that Darling’s magic would be that of someone moving at the speed of light. This is of course was false as her magic acts as a prism that fractures light and creates a space that seemingly slows down the light around her and those whose eyes would catch that light would believe she was moving at light speed. Combine this technique with the flickering light from the fire place and well…

Raven’s mouth gaped with shocked and awe, she couldn’t utter a single word to what it was she was looking at. It was as if Darling was dancing with the shadows themselves.  The way darling moved was a unique way. She moved as if she was moving in between each flame but yet moved as against the flames; popping in and out of reality itself.  The visual before tantalized the dark witch’s heart. In her stupor mind the only way she could describe it was simply…magical.

And Darling would have to agree with her.  The way she felt at this moment was something she had never felt before. Short bursts of slow movement. Followed by long burst of high speed. With dabbles of the normal pace sprinkled in between. This was something new that Darling had never felt before. And it was all for Raven.

Time was lost to both the dancer and the audience. One was mesmerized the other was lost in the moment. “Raven?” Raven shook her head to bring herself back to reality as she looked into the gaze of the woman looking down at her with loving eyes.  “Why don’t you dance with me?”

“Uh…” Raven’s heart leapt into her throat, “I-I’m not really one to dance.” She said while flailing her hands as if to fend off the very idea. It was true. Raven wasn’t much for dances, she was always one to sit in the corner of the room and watch as everyone else enjoyed their time. She would just sit there drinking her punch. Alone.

“Would you dance with me?” Darling asked again. “Please?” she said reaching out a hand as if to help her other to the stage of a lifetime.

Silence drowned the room as Raven looked at Darling’s hand with a child’s nervous gaze. Raven Queen was the dark witch. Darling Charming was the knight in shining armor. Light and darkness. Why would these things ever match? Like the shadows and the flickering light of a candle.

And Raven reached out for Darling’s hand with her own. “Okay…” Raven said with an anxious smile. And Darling smiled back as she pulled Raven to her feet.