Facing the Past
Darling had faced many battles in her life. Training duels, magical challenges, even actual life-or-death situations. But nothing—nothing—felt as terrifying as sitting across from her parents in their grand castle, Apple’s hand discreetly gripping hers under the long, polished dining table.
The dining hall was as magnificent as ever, bathed in the golden glow of enchanted chandeliers. The table stretched long and gleaming between them, its surface reflecting the tension in the air. The walls were adorned with grand tapestries of past Charmings—warriors, princes, heroes—standing tall and proud. The weight of generations pressed down on her.
Her father, King Charming, was as composed as ever, his strong jaw set in its usual stoic expression. He had faced dragons without blinking, but Darling had never quite been able to tell what went on behind those sharp blue eyes. He sat upright in his gilded chair, the weight of his authority pressing down on the room.
Her mother, Queen Charming, was the picture of elegance, her golden hair twisted into an intricate updo. She held herself with the grace of a queen, but there was tension in her posture. The slight stiffness in her shoulders, the way her fingers gripped the stem of her goblet just a little too tightly—it told Darling that her mother already sensed something was coming.
The weight in Darling’s chest grew heavier.
She had spent weeks rehearsing this conversation in her head, imagining every possible reaction, every outcome, every way this could go wrong. Even now, she could feel her heart pounding, threatening to drown out her own thoughts.
Apple gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
Darling inhaled sharply. I can do this.
She sat up straighter, trying to ignore the tremor in her fingers. “Mum. Dad. I have something important to tell you.”
Her parents watched her expectantly, waiting.
Darling hesitated for just a moment before saying, clear and steady—
“I’m with Apple.”
A beat of silence.
Then—
“With Apple?” her mother repeated, her lips curving into a pleased smile. “Oh, Darling, that’s wonderful. Apple is a lovely princess! A strong royal pairing, indeed. A match between the Charming and White families—”
“That’s not what I mean,” Darling interrupted, her throat tightening.
Her mother blinked, her expression shifting ever so slightly, the smile wavering. “I don’t understand, dear.”
Darling tightened her grip on Apple’s hand beneath the table and forced herself to hold her mother’s gaze. Her stomach twisted with nerves, but she forced herself to say it anyway.
“I don’t mean as an alliance. I mean as a relationship.”
Silence.
The words hung in the air, heavy and unshakable.
Her father’s expression remained unreadable. Her mother’s smile faltered, the warmth draining from her face as realisation settled in.
“Darling,” her mother said, voice sharp and measured, “you’re a Charming. You are meant to be a hero. To marry a princess, yes, but as a prince—”
“I don’t want to be a prince,” Darling said firmly.
Her mother’s lips pressed into a thin line.
Her father leaned forward, his gaze unreadable but piercing. “What exactly are you saying, Darling?”
Darling’s heart pounded harder. She was saying everything that had terrified her for so long. She was laying herself bare before two people who had never truly understood her. But she couldn’t stop now.
“Darling, dear,” her mother tried again, her voice softer now, but no less insistent. “This isn’t how things are meant to be. You are supposed to protect the princess, not—”
“I am protecting her,” Darling snapped, heat rising in her chest. “I will always protect her.”
Apple squeezed her hand again and spoke up, her voice calm but unyielding. “This isn’t up for debate. Darling and I love each other.”
Her mother exhaled sharply, setting down her goblet with a clink. “You’re young. You don’t understand—”
“No,” Darling interrupted, her voice rising. “I do understand. I understand that for my entire life, I’ve been told who I’m supposed to be. What I’m supposed to want. And I tried. I tried to be the hero you wanted. But I can’t change who I am.”
Her father finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the thick tension. “And who are you, Darling?”
Darling straightened her shoulders.
“I am Darling Charming. Not a prince. Not a damsel. Not what you want me to be.” She looked at Apple, then back at her parents. “I’m just me. And I love Apple White.”
The silence stretched on, thick and suffocating.
Her father studied her carefully, the weight of his gaze pressing down on her. Then—he sighed, rubbing his temple. “This is… unexpected.”
Her mother still looked unhappy, her lips pursed in disapproval, but her father’s expression had shifted into something more thoughtful than outright upset.
“I suppose,” he said finally, “if you are truly serious about this… we will have to reconsider what it means to be a Charming.”
Darling blinked. “What?”
Her father gave her a long, assessing look. “If this is who you are, then perhaps it is time for us to adjust our expectations.”
Her mother looked like she wanted to protest—but, surprisingly, she didn’t.
The tension in the room hadn’t lifted entirely. Her mother still looked stiff, still looked like she wanted to fight back. But she stayed silent.
Darling exhaled slowly. It wasn’t acceptance. Not fully.
But it was a start.
As they left the castle that night, walking hand in hand down the moonlit path leading back to Ever After High, Darling finally allowed herself to breathe.
She glanced at Apple, whose golden hair shimmered in the soft glow of the night. Apple looked calm—strong, even. She had stood by Darling’s side through it all, unshaken.
Darling gave her a tired smile. “Well… that went better than expected?”
Apple hummed. “Your father didn’t outright reject you, so I’ll count it as a win.”
Darling let out a breathless laugh, the tension of the evening slowly unwinding. “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”
Apple stopped walking, turning to face Darling fully. “Are you okay?”
Darling hesitated for a moment. Was she okay?
She had just come out to her parents. Had stood her ground against everything they expected her to be. And now…
Now, she wasn’t sure where she stood with them.
But then Apple smiled at her—gentle, warm, steady.
And Darling knew.
“I will be,” she said, squeezing Apple’s hand.
Apple’s smile widened. “Good.”
Darling pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around her in a tight embrace. The world was still uncertain. Their battle wasn’t over.
But Apple was here.
And that was enough.
For now.