She sits on the bed in a silk robe, staring helplessly into the T.A.R.D.I.S.-like closet full of far too expensive looking dresses.

She'd politely sent the maids away, feeling awkward under their attention, but now she doesn't know what to do. Sure, she could manage to get one on if she tried but that's just it, she's afraid to try.

What if she ruins one?

She's briefly pulled from her thoughts by a knock at the door.

"Cassandra, my love? You didn't come down for breakfast, are you alright?" Edward asks.

"Oh, I- I'm fine!"

It's quiet for a moment, "May I come in?"

"Um, yes?" Her voice is unsure, but he doesn't notice.

"If you'd like, I can have one of the servers bring you something here- you're not dressed."

Her eyes drop to the floor, sudden anxiety eating at her.

"My dear, are you sure you're not ill?" He hurries to her side and takes her hand, "I can call you a doctor."

"No, no I'm fine I just... It's just a lot for me," she plays with his hands and motions back at the David's Bridal in the next room, "All of this."

He let's go of her hand to curl his finger under her chin and raise her gaze back to him.

"Tell me how I can help."

She hesitates for a moment, "Help me pick out something to wear?"

"Is that all?" He smiles, not teasingly, but happy that he can actually help with, "Any dress should be honored to have you wearing it, come with me."

He pulls her to her feet and steps into the closet that is nearly bigger than her studio apartment back in New York.

"What would you prefer to wear?" He asks as he pushes different fabrics aside, "Something like this?"

He holds out a silver gown that shimmers from top to bottom with countless crystals and far too many layers of tulle to be comfortable for daily wear.

She giggles and he frowns, "Do you not like it?"

"It's beautiful, but, maybe something a little more... simple?" She suggests, "Not only does look more expensive that my car, but I would be a walking disco ball, blinding everyone as I walk by."

"Simple... simple..." he mutters to himself as he haphazardly rummages through the dresses, "This one!"

He rips the hanger from the rack and shows off a pale pink gown.

"The color would really bring out your eyes," He grins.

He steps her in front of a mirror and holds it to her body, looking utterly gleeful to be helping her.

"Are... are you sure it's okay I wear this?"

He looks at her, head cocked like a confused puppy, "Of course, my love, it was made for you after all."

He waits until she takes it from him and presses it to her chest, playing with the skirt in her reflection.

"Shall I call a handmaiden to help you dress?"

She looks up at him through the mirror, cheeks warm as she nods.

Once she's properly fitted in it, she realizes how well the bodice is fitted to her, how the soft, blush colored satin complements her complexion. And her eyes have never looked bluer.

She's enamored by the simple tulle overlay and sleeves, the ends of which and queen anne neckline are lined with little lace honeybee appliques.

She let's out a small squeal when she spins and the dress flutters around her.

As soon as Edward sees her walking towards him across the throne room, he's completely awestruck.

Her white oxford heels click against the stone floor and the long trumpet sleeves flow elegantly behind her like wings. Her hair, curled at the ends, bounces with every step.

Whatever conversation he had been having a moment ago is gone from his head as he strides over to meet her.

His arms encircle her waist as soon as she's in reach, spinning them in vortex of tulle and glitter.

He sighs happily when she kisses his nose before he sets her down.

"I knew you would look divine in this," He takes her hand and raises his arm to give her one last twirl before pulling her close, "But words fail to describe how beautiful you truly are."

She runs her fingers through his hair, hand settling on his cheek as she raises to her toes to kiss him.

He's somehow smiling wider when she pulls away.

"We should be dancing. There should be music!" He exclaims and as if by magic, the faint sound of strings begins to fade in, "Shall we dance the night away, dear Cassandra."

"It's still morning, Edward" she teases.

PROS

Finally, we know why Giselle was living with animals in the woods!

Morgan calling Giselle ‘Mom’ was so pure ngl

Seeing Giselle, Robert, Edward, and Nancy all being friends years later was so sweet, and the latter two being Sofia’s godparents? My heartt 😭😭

And finally Nancy sings! I keep repeating “For through this wand from Andalasia flows the magic of our magic world to here”, and also Love Power obviously lol

"Congratulations on the increasing size of your progeny." and "Hogwashery!" in this film vs "I don't know what ‘melodramatic’ means" in the first film. Bless you, Edward, you're academic now and I am so proud of you

“Morgan, if you want to be mad, you be mad at me. But you do not talk to your mother like that!” >>>

Robert is the blueprint for all men I swear

Morgan hating the move is all the better when you remember Robert said she’s shy and doesn’t have many friends. I feel you, Morgan, I suck at making friends too 😀🤝

I don’t get why people don’t like the music, I loved all of it! It saved the movie imo.

Maya Rudolph can SINGGGGGGGG

“Nobody ever would bother to tell a tale with Maleficent and with Cruella.” That was good honestly.

Gabriella Baldacchino is so good in this! She can really sing, good for her.

CONS

Everyone saying ‘the whole cast is back’ when Nathaniel wasn't in the movie (as well as Narissa for obvious reasons) felt very weird and wrong to me

Why was Edward barely in the movie?? His himbo energy is a big part of makes the first film so great imo, and while he did steal the three scenes he was in (yes, three), he deserved to be in the movie more. Also this is a personal issue but I hate how he’s never called ‘King Edward’, as I was hoping his Disney Wiki page would be able to be retitled to that lmao. His name is King Edward of Andalasia, put some respect on his name.

And I was hoping he’d have a scene with Morgan detailing his own experiences with wicked stepmothers. But he and Nancy were missing for the whole middle act 😭, AND James Marsden deserved to sing more!

Robert too. Why did they make him an idiot knight? He’s not endearing like Edward, he just annoyed me. And they obviously kept him out of most of the film because True Love’s Kiss would undo Giselle’s wish. It pissed me off how nobody thought of doing that lmao

“We bring love from Andalasia and offer belated birthday cheer.” That was in the trailer, they filmed a part for it. It and the rest of the lyrics are in the official Spotify song, so why was it cut out of the film? So unnecessary.

Same with the Monroeville portion of the opening song, it should’ve been kept in.

The 2D animation sucks, and why did Nancy look so different? She and Idina both don’t have blue eyes, where did that even come from?

I wanted Giselle to go back to Andalasia and for Robert to go there period. We need to fully see how he looks in 2D and how Giselle changed.

And I dislike the implication that Giselle has never returned to Andalasia and shown Robert and Morgan where she grew up. As IF she’d never say goodbye to the animals who raised her. And since Morgan always asked for stories about Andalasia, why not TAKE her there? Literally what is stopping her? It’s bad writing.

And speaking of Morgan, yes teens are angsty but it still hurt to see her fight with Giselle (their relationship in the first movie is precious).

And I’m confused about the whole wicked stepmother thing? “It’s not true what they say, I have met so many kind and wonderful stepmothers.” What happened to that?

But ignoring that, Morgan calling Giselle her stepmother in the argument hurt bad. Because she knows how Giselle (apparently) feels about stepmothers and she was obviously trying to hurt her.

Giselle could’ve done her animal call and it either doesn’t work or ravens and other animals portrayed as villains (snakes, rats like in Lady and the Tramp) show up. That’d fuck her up and it’d be cool to watch! And Morgan sang the animal call in pt 2 of Fairytale Life, she should’ve done it for real.

Malvina was disappointing. I was expecting her to be an Andalasian who Narissa banished, like Giselle. Maybe they’re related (like Ursula and Morgana) and/or she was threatened by her magical competition so she sent her away. And with a name with Malvina, it made sense to me that she’d be Andalasian. Clearly that was the intention and I don’t get why the team behind the movie would trick the audience like that bc it’s the opposite of a good plot twist. Queen Narissa had way less screen time and I prefer her way better.

Plus it’d keep Narissa relevant to the plot which was not the case and I was deeply disappointed.

I predicted that with Monroeville’s slogan literally being “Your Fairy Tale starts here!”, it’d be designed by Malvina to be a trap for Andalasians to find out how they left Andalasia and if she can take their portal back there. Like there was so much potential that went wasted.

And where the hell is Malvina’s husband? (He’s on the billboard with Malvina and Tyson at the entrance of Monroeville, so he definitely existed at one point.) If he’s dead, at least just mention it once?

Why was Morgan and Tyson’s song cut? It’d give him + their relationship much needed development and it’s a cute song.

Rosaleen and Ruby were annoying. I love YNB and Jayma but their characters aggravated me.

Sofia crying after Morgan was pushed down the well could’ve been a chance for Giselle to break away from her evil self to care for her daughter. I thought that’d happen. We all did, right?