Niklaus Nikiforv's POV

Nik's hands were clammy as Jameson approached his grandmother's porch. The Hoods' cottage wasn't shabby, though it was rickety and dated. Made of bricks and had a lopsided roof, but it seemed cozy. James took a deep breath before knocking on the wooden door. Once, then twice. Nothing happened.

"Are you sure she's home?" Ana Tremaine asked, next to Nik. His heart was beating so fast that he was sure that it would leap out of his heart. In fact, he felt a bit embarrassed to be next to Ana. She was so beautiful, he looked like nothing compared to her. Her hair was like a fiery fire, her eyes twinkled as bright as the moon, and her smile was priceless. Does that sound creepy? Oh dear, Nik fretted far too much for his own good.

"Just give her a sec, she's an old lady like myself," the Candy Witch cracked. Honestly, after getting to know her, Nik realized she wasn't as bad as everyone said she was. She did offer them candy, but the good brands. She wasn't malicious either, she was as sweet as sugar. Finally, the door swung open.

An old woman shuffled out, holding a shotgun. Holy hex! "Who the hell do you think you are to trespass on my property—Jameson?" Granny Hood lowered the gun and squinted. "It really is you, Jamie! Oh, my apologies, I don't have my glasses. Candice, you made it! There's a lot of you, isn't there? Alright, come inside and make sure to wipe your feet."

Essie's jaw dropped. "James, your grandma is actually so badass."

"Honey, our lives don't stop at sixty-five," the Candy Witch chuckled as they entered the cottage. The floorboards groaned and creaked under their feet, the smell of honeysuckle in the air. Nik breathed it in, reminding him of home. They arrived in the living room and they took a seat on the brown leather sofa. The Hoods' home was certainly vintage, with antique photos and old shelves.

"Ah, it's marvellous to see you again, Jamie," Granny Hood mused, shuffling over with a tray of tea and sweets. Essie immediately went for the sweets whilst Nik grabbed two teacups, offering one to Ana.

"No, it's okay, I'm not hungry. Thank you." She smiled brightly, which made Nik's cheeks go pink and he turned around. You're such a worrywart, he criticized himself. How will you ever confess to her if you're too nervous around her? A crush was more stressful than people would say.

Joy cleared his throat. "Thanks for your hospitality, but we're here on a task."

"Oh, right!" James had gotten distracted. He went into a detailed explanation of what happened in Ever After High, including their mission. "Granny, you're the ruler of Hood Hollow, surely you've heard news of these pages."

Granny Hood clucked her tongue. "Unfortunately, I do know where the pages have landed, but I forbid any of you from getting it," she ordered gravely, "because they're in the wolves' dens."

"Why not?" Essie protested, throwing up her hands in the air. "We need those pages!"

"The wolves are dangerous, sending you children into their awful territory is a suicide mission. They'll tear you apart," the old lady persisted, hands on her hips. She was scolding them, Nik realized. The room went deadly silent, even the Candy Witch looked awkward, when James spoke up.

"They're not like that. You don't know them like I do, they'll let us get the pages."

"You don't know how I do too," Granny Hood said, narrowing her eyes. "There's a fine line between docile and hostile." She glanced at the rest of them, shaking her head. "I've spent my entire life running away from those creatures, they're monsters. And I've got the proof." She pushed up her sleeves to show scars that resembled claw marks. Oh my Grimm.

"You never... You never told me about that," James said, eyes wide.

"Yeah, well, the Grandma from Little Red Riding Hood's story doesn't get out completely unharmed," she grunted, shuffling towards the kitchen. "You're free to stay the night, but no wolves. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Nik murmured, raising the teacup to his lips. Well, isn't that a dead end? Nik leaned back on the sofa, sighing. James looked angry, but more disappointed in himself than that, so he stood up and stormed out, heading to the backyard. This day was not turning out super great.

Essie tossed a look at Joyce. "Well, your turn."

"What do you mean it's my turn?"

"To comfort James. I saved his life from potential stranger danger—no offense, Madam Witch—so we're even. Like I said, it's your turn now." Essie sipped on her tea, adding too many sugar cubes until it was full. "Do you think Granny Hood will let me put tequila in my tea?"

"You're too influenced by Ali," Nik said, shaking his head. Ugh, that Ali Nimer. He was hardly a friend of Nik's, but he kept paying him to paint portraits or write love poems. Purely transactional. Ali was quite literally the bane of Nik's existence.

"And you're too dull." Essie went to the kitchen with the Candy Witch to talk to Granny Hood, and Joy went to speak with James in the backyard. Good luck, Nik wanted to tell Joy. He knew the look of yearning in Joy's eyes when James was near, he wished them nothing but the best. Suddenly, Nik realized he was alone in the living room with Ana.

Say something, anything, you fool! "Hi." Long live the shy, awkward boys.

"Hi," she repeated, laughing a bit. Nik enjoyed the sound of her laughter, it was like music to his ears. She inspected the teapot set on the coffee table, taking in the floral designs on it. "I would love to bake cupcakes and use those designs with frosting."

"Cupcakes?"

Ana's smile only grew. "Yeah, my dad was a baker, we have a family bakery. When it comes to drawing or painting, I'm artistically challenged, but sugary frosting seems like the only thing I can do without fail. It's like an edible version of art, you know? Aren't you an artist?"

Nik blushed. "A bit." Actually, Nik practically sleeps in the art studio until Headmaster Grimm stumbles upon him at the crack of dawn. "Mr. Nikiforv, get out," he'd always say. What a party-pooper.

"I see you go into the art studio a lot when I head to the school kitchens," Ana explained.

"You must eat a lot of cupcakes then."

"Me? No, I always give my test treats to Daphne or Aurelio. I'm pretty sure they're sick of eating ten cupcakes for dinner each day now..." Ana's energy was unmistakingly vibrant. Vivid, even. "That's why I'm a Roybel, I don't want to cut up my feet, I want to become a baker so I can take over my dad's bakery. But, my mom also found love in Cinderella's story, so maybe so can I." She smiled serenely at Nik with her dimples.

"Best of both worlds, Royal and Rebel."

"You're a Rebel, aren't you? Why?"

How could Nik really explain his life story to Ana? He was cursed by an evil sorcerer to turn into a hideous, monstrous bird freak once he turned eighteen and then kidnap a girl to get rid of his curse. I'm not going to kidnap Bree, she's my friend! It horrified Nik, and he was dreading his upcoming birthday. He'd rather die than to threaten someone to be in love. "It's... complicated," he allowed.

Ana's lips twisted in a strange way. "Oh, yes, you'd have to fall in love with the next Beauty from your story," she said bitterly. Ah, my poor sweet Ana! She's kind, I will say, but so easily jealous! Envy really does kill, doesn't it?

To that, Nik couldn't help but laugh. A rather funny twist of fate. "Ana, Bree likes girls, she's a lesbian."

Her cheeks went bright red. "Oh. Oh."

"And for that, I'm sort of relieved," Nik said, a shy smile on his face. He couldn't really imagine abducting Branwen Beast without getting his ass kicked and receiving a bookish lecture. Plus, they were better off friends than lovers. He still had the paper in his pocket; the note where he poured out all of his feelings for Ana Tremaine in a song. Sappy piece of shit, his mind sneered at him. She'd never want it.

Okay, invisible negative thoughts, can you get the fuck out for a second? Nik thought. "Uhm, Ana, I have something to tell you—"

"I found tequila!" Essie screeched from the kitchen. Madam Witch was drinking from a mug of coffee, amused by Essie's personality. Granny Hood rolled her eyes, but she poured a bottle of alcohol into her cup regardless. Thanks a lot, Essie, my chance is gone.

"That tequila is reserved for us oldies," Madam Witch said pointedly, grabbing the bottle.

Essie pouted. "Aw..."

Ana glanced at Nik. "Sorry, what were you going to say?"

He debated his options. "Nothing."

︶⊹︶︶୨୧︶︶⊹︶

Stella Prince's POV

As soon as they stepped into the Dark Fairy's castle, Stella felt much colder. The change in temperature was drastic, but the Dark Fairy, or Mrs. Rown didn't seem affected. Tensions between Rav and her mother were high, a silent sort of anger. Mother like daughter. "Your visit to our home is unexpected, Ravenna," Mrs. Rown said, briskly walking through the old, empty halls. There were columns that supported the rundown castle and the scent of musk followed them.

Stella found the castle to be a bit creepy, if not eerie. Does Mrs. Rown just stay here daily without getting scared a massive spider would eat her? Well, Stella guessed she would be the thing that the spiders were scared of. "Your home is very nice," Stella complimented, hoping it was a conversation-starter. In truth, the castle was a stark contrast to Ever After High.

Mrs. Rown came to a complete halt, tossing a glare over her shoulders. "I don't like liars," she said bitterly before resuming her walk. Okay, then... Stella strolled alongside Rav, who looked uneasy.

"Is your mom always like, well, that? Scary and daunting?" she asked.

"Don't know, I never knew her well or spent much time here. I was sent to an orphanage by my dad, my mom was never really involved in my life." Rav shook her head, pursuing her lips. "Yeah, I don't know what my mother's intentions with us are..."

"Where are we going exactly?" Bree asked nervously, glancing around.

"You'll see," the Dark Fairy replied. Like that wasn't spooky or menacing at all. They had arrived at a spiral stone staircase, starting to go up. The wall around them was bricks of stone, almost like a medieval castle.

"Oooh, are we going to have a tea party?" Vesperina spoke up. Stella resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the Hatter girl; she was so witless sometimes, she never used logic or reason. It was impossible not to get trifled by her.

Mrs. Rown snorted. "Please, darling, it's the evening."

"Every part of the day should be teatime!"

Apple put on a strained smile, blinking at Vesperina with a sense of disdain. "Vesperina," she said slowly, a tone of frustration in her voice, "I think you should just be quiet for now." Translation: You're practically begging for us to get hexed by Rav's mom!

Unfortunately, Vesperina was tone-deaf to anything that was normal. She continued to keep up with Mrs. Rown's stride, peppering her about tea parties and such. This is not going to end well, she thought, already overwhelmed. Stella was getting tired from going up the staircase which never seemed to end for some reason.

"Why are you lovely ladies here anyways?" the Dark Fairy questioned.

"We're looking for the lost pages of the Storybook of Legends," Vesperina chirped happily, skipping up the stairs. Where does she get the willpower to do that? "Have you heard about them?"

"Storybook of Legends, you say?" Mrs. Rown mused, a hint of amusement in her voice.As Mrs. Rown kept walking ahead, Rav told the others to slow down.

"I think my mom's planning something, but I'm not exactly sure what," she whispered, her voice catching in her throat. "Everyone, be on guard. We'll flee if we have to, the pages be damned." Stella wondered what caused Ravenna Rown to be so mistrustful of her mother.

"Ah, we're here." Mrs. Rown pushed open a wooden door once they reached the top of the tower. Stella realized that there was a wooden spindle at the center, an open window behind it, the gray landscape peeking through. "Welcome home, Ravenna." There was a tone to her voice that Stella couldn't place.

Rav stared at the spindle, dumbfounded. "This isn't a game, Mom," she bit out, "why the hell did you bring us here?"

"Oh, but my dear Ravenna, I thought you would have been more happy, especially because of this." Mrs. Rown walked up the wooden spindle—Stella flinched at the sharp needle—and picked something up from the yarn basket. It was a bundle of neatly tied paper; the Storybook of Legends pages.

Stella gasped. "That's ours!"

"Oh, yes, they are," Mrs. Rown said, unsmiling. Instead of handing them over, she held them close to her chest. "But, you see, as less and less people believe in fairies, I need more power. I can't risk myself disappearing, can I?" She let out a cold laugh, echoing in the tower. "No, no, I need the pages to stay with me."

"But, Mom, it's ours like Stella said," Rav protested.

Apple held up her hands, almost like negotiating a deal. "Mrs. Rown, I understand the dire consequences of disappearing as a fairy, but those pages are our destinies!" She stepped forward cautiously. "We need them."

A prolonged silence devastated them all.

Mrs. Rown narrowed her eyes. "Then I'm not sorry for what's to come next." Suddenly, she struck the base of the spindle's needle. Immediately, it broke off and glowing golden dust erupted from the spindle. Almost instantly, the golden dust coated the entire room and the girls.

Stella coughed, her eyes becoming heavy. She was so tired and sleepy, she just wanted to go to bed. What's happening to us? Stella wondered as she yawned. She dropped to her knees, tempted to fall asleep on the floor.

"It's the spell that the Dark Fairy casts on Sleeping Beauty!" Rav cried out as her mother strolled across the tower, right by the exit. Vesperina was snoring, passed out, whilst Apple and Bree were fighting to stay awake. "Mom, no, you can't do this to us—"

"But I already have." The door closed behind her as the spindle kept emitting the golden dust, an enchanted sleeping dust, actually. Stella laid on the floor, a sense of slumber growing inside of her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Vesperina snoring right by the spindle while Apple and Bree, both unconscious, leaned on each others' shoulders. Rav was at the door, banging with what weak energy she had left.

"Let... Let... Let us out!" Rav screamed, striking the door with her fists. "Mom! Mom!"

Go to sleep, she thought. Rest now, Stella.

With that, Estella Prince's eyes closed.

A/N: I love Ana and Nik so much, it's actually wild. Their fairytales align so well for some reason. Also, the whole point of Stella's POV was a reference to Epic Winter, the scene where they all have those crazy fever dreams.