Once Upon a Time by JOJO

                                          Chapter One                      Crimson

Crimson lay in her bed that night, wondering why in the world she had to live particularly in the kingdom she wish she hadn't lived in. She remembered when her mother first showed her the kingdom. "Welcome to the kingdom of Grimm. Every fairy-tale character lives here, and follows their destinies as the Grimm Brothers write them." Her mother had said.

Crimson wishes silently she didn't have to be here, in her bedroom in the castle.

She also wished her mother was not the Evil Queen, who ruled the 'bad side' of the kingdom of Grimm, or the side that all the evil ones in the stories from the Grimm brothers lived.

Crimson shuffled in her bed. She wondered what the 'good side' of the kingdom looked like, the part where Cinderella and her daughter, Princess Cyn ruled. She imagined endless beautiful gardens, butterflies, everything that made her happy. 

Crimson pulled the wool, well-woven sheets of the bed over her face. Here in the 'bad side,' there were beautiful plants and flowers. Most of the flowers were roses, most of them black. 

Finally, Crimson gave in. She couldn't sleep at a night like this, because her royal coronation was a week away. But, Crimson didn't want to be like her mother. Her mother was evil. But sometimes, Crimson was afraid of her mother. Her mother had the ability to suck out a person's soul by simply staring at them.

Crimson had heard what it was like to not have a soul. Worse than death, really. It is a very unpleasant thing. Yet, her mother did it to all of the royal prisoners. She had watched her mom do it. It was really not scary.

Crimson strolled around her room and petted her black cat, Donia. Donia purred and licked Crimson's hand.

But what scared Crimson when her mother did such act was the look in her mom's eyes. It was a plain, expressionless look, but she could tell a smile had tugged at the end of her mother's lips.

As if her mother were enjoying it.

But Crimson's mother was like any mother, but get her mad... and then it's like your face-to-face with a particularly mean devil.

It's terrible, but Crimson was smart enough to never, ever, ever make her mom the slightest bit mad by just keeping every ounce of feeling inside her. To remain emotionless. No screaming, crying, no asking for things that aren't provided. Not even laughing when not necessary. 

Crimson looked at the mirror in the bedroom. Her mother had given her the mirror on her tenth birthday. She saw herself. The dark, flowing hair and bright green eyes that stood out beautifully, and the cream-colored skin. Her crimson sleeping robes, draped over her shoulders. Donia walked circles around Crimson. The black cat pounced on her shoulder and snuggled there.

Crimson got in her bed anyway and fell to sleep.

The next morning Crimson awoke and dressed into proper clothing for the day, and fixed her hair into a loose braid, and then slipped on her purple-gem ring, then finally slipped on black slippers. 

She made her way out of her room after Donia was safely in her arms. In the halls walked the royal maids and chefs, hurrying here and there. A scarlet carpet covered the floor and black chandeliers lit the halls. From time to time, there were pictures of recent queens or mysterious arts. Then, she approached her favorite picture. It's frame was gold with a leaf patters carved into it's depths; the painting was mostly a face of a woman. Half the woman was a happy face, eyes bright. The other half looked almost evil. The painting looked mysterious, for some reason it caught the eye in a way even she couldn't explain.

Finally, Crimson made it to the royal 'eating' room, where her mother was waiting. Her mother was wearing a dark dress, her hair affixed in a tight braid, her violet eyes gleaming. "Good morning, Crim."

Crimson sat down next to mom politely.

"What a wonderful morning," Crimson said after a long pause. "Yes," Mom replied as the chef dropped off the breakfast and tea. Mom sipped the tea. "Yes, Crim, it is a wonderful morning. Have you noticed the crows are migrating? It is wonderful to see them take off, the beauty is naturally wonderful to imagine." 

"Yes," Crimson said a bit too fast, "yes, isn't it a beauty! Well, and," Crimson tried to make something to talk about, "y-your dress seems fine today, mom, I think it... I think it fits you very well, actually."

Mom grinned. "Well, Crim, it looks as if a very special day is a week away."

Her mother was talking was talking about the coronation.

Crimson didn't want to talk about the coronation.

"Yes, yes, and talking about 'special days,'" Crimson tried to change the subject, "It seems the royal... anniversary is coming, is it not?"

"What I am talking of is your coronation, Crim." Mom said.

Oh. Yeah. Go Crimson. You totally changed the topic. Here we go again, Crimson thought.

"I want you to know, Crim, you look well prepared judging on your manners, for the coronation," Mom said, "so I think you'll do fine as a queen."

We're getting off to a good start, are we?  Crimson crossed her arms

"Crim, do you want to follow my destiny?" Mom asked.

"Y-yes, mom, I am willing to."

"And do you pledge to become a good Queen and take me as an example?" Mom asked.

I nodded.

"And are you happy to follow the destinies you are supposed to?"

Oh, yeah, I'm very 'happy' here! Crimson thought and said, "Yes, mother, I am." 

"Then it shall be." 

My life is horrible.