Sage fiddled with her flute while she waited for her cue. A crowd was gathered in front of the gazebo where the student were about to do a small routine for everyone's parent. Of course, this was the moment Sage was going to do her solo. 

In front of hundreds of people. 

Including her mom and future mother-in-law. 

Gulp. 

But, Ben's pep talk from before eased her mind just a little bit. 

   "Don't worry about anyone or anything. Don't worry about whose going to judge you. You want to play the flute. I asked you to play for them. If Chad has a problem with it, he can take it up with me."

When the two sharp claps echoed from behind her - the signal - Sage proudly brought her flute up to her face and started to play Be Our Guest. Well, at least the first seventeen measures, one extra note, before she stepped to the side and watched as her class mates started to sing acapella. 

   "Ma chère Mademoiselle," Ben spoke over the beat. "It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. Now we invite you to relax. Let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents your dinner!"

  ♫ Be our guest, be our guest, put our service to the test. Tie your napkin 'round you neck, chèrie, and we'll provide the rest! ♫

   ♫That's right!♫

   ♫ Soup du jour, Hot hors d'oeuvres. Why, we only live to serve! Try the gray stuff, it's delicious! Don't believe me? Ask the dishes.♫

   ♫Yeah! They can sing, sing, sing. They can dance, dance, dance. After all, miss, this is France.  And a dinner here is never, never second best. Come on! Unfold your menu. Go on, take a glance and then you'll♫

   ♫Alright!♫

   ♫Be our guest, be our guest, be our, guest. Yeah, yeah, come on! Be our, guest, guest. Yeah, yeah. We tell jokes!♫

   "Jokes!"

   ♫I do tricks!♫

   "Tricks!"

   ♫With my fellow candlesticks. And it's all in perfect taste that you can bet! Come on and lift your glass, you've won your own free pass! To be our guest!♫

   "If you're stressed, it's fine dining we suggest."

   ♫Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest! Yeah! Come on. Be our guest, be our guest, be our guest.♫

Sage cheered as the performance comes to an end. Ben, deciding to be the person he is, ran over to where she was trying to hide, dragged her in front of everyone and raised her hand. 

   "Oh my god, Ben!" Sage laughed nervously, waving at everyone who clapped for her. 

   "I wasn't going to let you stand in the background, you did amazing!" Ben praised, reaching towards a spectator and shaking her hand.  Sage dipped her head in greeting.

   "Thanks, but I'm fine with being in the background."

   "Of course you would be," Ben chuckled with a shake of his head. Spotting her mom, Sage waved by to Ben before prancing her way over to her mother. 

   "Mother!"

   "Oh! My sweet apple!" Sage's mother, Snow White, wrapped her daughter into a loving hug. Sage eagerly returned it. "You did wonderful up there! Of, all those practices are really paying off! I hope Chad loved it as much as I did."

   "I'm sure he did, mom," Sage said, pulling back slightly. "How are you? Is everything going well at the castle?"

   "I'm doing well and the castle is as busy as ever," Snow White let out a sigh. "The television company can't run itself. How have you been, sweetie? I've heard about Ben's proclamation. Oh, I hope the Evil Queen's daughter isn't bothering you!"

    "Mom, I'm fine," Sage laughed. "Evie - the Evil Queen's daughter - is actually really cool! She's funny and smart and skilled. . ." She trailed off before shaking her head. "Anyways, where's dad? He said he'd be here!"

Snow White let out a sigh. "Sorry, Sage, but your father had a last minute business meeting to attend. It was super important. But, he sends his best regards." 

Sage's shoulders visibly slumped but she quickly picked herself up. "That's okay, I know how hard it is to run a kingdom."

Even though King Adam and Queen Belle were the royals of Auradon, there were still sub royals like Snow White and Prince Florian to rule over the smaller cities. While Belle and Adam ruled over Auradon as a whole, there were other Kings and Queen ruling over suburbans. Like mayors. But big decisions and changes still had to go through the high ups. 

   "Has your dress for the coronation been delivered yet?" Snow White steered them away to a new conversation. "It should be, I sent it not too long ago."

   "Yes, I got it the other day. It's so beautiful, mom!" Sage sighed dreamily. "Thank you for picking it out for me."

   "It's not a problem, sweetie. Just make sure you do you hair in an up-do. Even a half-up half-down style would be good. Go lightly with the makeup as well."

   "I know, mom," Sage laughed. "You did teach me everything you know."

   "That I did," Snow White sighed before a new voice joined in the conversation. 

   "Queen Snow, it's been too long!" Ben greeted his best friends' mother. 

   "Prince Ben! Oh my, you've grown so big!" Snow White pulled the future king into a tight hug. "I can't believe you're going to be king in the next couple days! Time really does fly."

   "It seems it does," Ben agreed and pulled his best friend to his side, linking pinkies. "Sage, Snow, my parents and I are going to be playing croquet in the field over there. I was wondering if you would like to join us," He looked down at Sage. "I've already invited Mal and her friends, I was just coming to get you."

   "Well, I don't see why not!" Snow White said cheerily. "I haven't spoken to Belle in such a long time! Lead the way, Prince!"

   "Sure," Sage sighed dramatically. "Don't take my opinion into consideration. Just drag me along."

   "Will do!" Ben grinned and started to lead the ladies towards his family. 

   "As if you were going to do anything else," Snow scoffed lightly, following to Ben's left. 

   "Maybe I was! Maybe I was going. . .to hang out with my other friends."

   "What other friends?"

   "Ouch!"

🍎

   "Come on, Dude!" Carlos called out to the campus mutt. Although, it could practically be his own dog now. Sage let out a cry of excitement as Dude started to chase after her, Carlos close behind. "Get her, Dude!"

   "Don't sic your dog on me!" Sage called over her shoulder, making a sharp left turn to try and lose the two. It didn't work. 

   "It's not my fault you stole his stick!" Carlos replied playfully, easily catching up to the Princess. "Got you!"

   "No!" Sage cried out, laughing as Carlos swooped her off her feet and spun her around. Dude barked happily at their feet. "Carlos! Put me down!"

   "As m'lady wishes!" Carlos dramatically put Sage down on her feet before kneeling in front of her on one knee. "What else can I do for ye?"

   "You can start by standing up properly," Sage ordered with a smile, helping Carlos up. 

   "As ye wish!"

   "And stop with that talk! You sound like you're reading from Shakespears writing!"

   "That's kinda where I got it from. . ."

   "What are they teaching you villainous kids?" Sage joked. 

   "Stuff I didn't even know existed!" 

   "Like?"

   "Alliteration!"

The two kids laughed, not minding the looks they were receiving from the people around them. It was too much fun. 

   "Here, Dude, fetch!" Sage tossed the stick away from them and the sandy furred dog chased after it. Sighing, Sage turned back to Carlos. "How have you been, Carlos?" 

   "I'm doing good," Carlos watched over Dude. "It's been nice here. It's a lot different than the Isle. A good different!" He trailed off, suddenly looking guilty and sad. Sage tilted her head in worry. 

   "Carlos? What's wrong?"

   "Um. . ." The white haired boy paused before slowly speaking. "Sage, there's something I really got to tell you. Something important."

   "I'm listening." 

   "Sage, we're-"

   "You!"

Sage's and Carlos's head snapped over to where the cry came from. Much to Sage's dismay, it was Sleeping Beauty's mother.

   "Oh no." Sage gulped. 

   "Whose that?"

   "Sleeping Beauty's mother."

   "Oh no."

   "How are you here?" Sleeping Beauty's mother demanded. Sage and Carlos carefully made their way over to them, Evie, Jay, and Ben in front of them. "And how have you stayed so young?"

   "Queen Leah, it's okay!" Ben assured the older woman, wrapping an arm around Mal. "Maleficent is still on the the island. This is her daughter, Mal."

   "Don't you remember Ben's proclamation to give the new generation a chance?" Sage asked gently, stepping up next to Ben. 

   "A chance to what? Destroy us?" Queen Leah looked around, her voice rising with each word. "Come on! You remember, don't you? The poison apples," Sage winced at the look Queen Leah gave her. "and the spells. Spells. My daughter was raised by fairies because of your mother's curse."

   "But that wasn't Mal's fault!" Sage tried to defend. 

   "It doesn't matter! Her first words, her first steps, I missed it all!" The Queen turned around, arms crossed and clearly upset. "You can't trust her!"

   "Hey, I'm so-" Mal tried to step forward, but Chad blocked her harshly. 

   "Go away!" He snapped. "Stay away from her!"

   "Don't do this, Chad." Ben pleaded. 

   "What?" Chad questioned in disbelief. "They were raised by their parents, Ben. What do you think villains teach their kids? Huh? Kindness? Fair play? No way, okay?"

   "Chad, stop it!" Sage snapped, eyebrows furrowed. "Don't give them a reason to hate us!"

   "You need to learn your place," Chad hissed as Sage, eyes narrowed. "It is by my side, quiet as a mouse. Regardless of what you think!"

   "Chad!"

   "You stole another girl's boyfriend," Chad started to call the villain kids out, ignoring Sage's shocked face. 

   "Hey, Hey!"

   "You enjoy hurting people. And you, you're nothing but a gold digger, a gay freak, and a cheater." Chad spat. Evie, furious, took out her mirror and held it in her hand. 

   "Mirror, mirror, in my hand, who's the biggest jerk in the land?" She asked, shoving the mirror in Chad's face. His reflection was in the glass. 

   "What?" Chad snapped, shoving Evie's arm away aggressively. "Come on!"

   "Back off, Chad!" Jay snapped, taking a step forward to defend his friend, but someone beat him to it. 

CRACK!

Chad stumbled back in shock and pain, holding his now bleeding nose. Sage, who had snapped out of her shock state, cradled her fist in her hand. She had punched Chad right in the nose. 

   "Shit!" Sage cursed, holding onto her hand. "That hurts a lot more than they let on!" 

   "What the actually hell!" Chad cussed, making his way towards Sage and grabbing her shoulders. "What are you doing?! You're standing up for these people?! You know-"

Evie, with a bottle of what looked like perfume, stalked forwards and sprayed Chad in the face. He instantly went slack, let go of Sage, and stumbled back into Doug and Audrey. 

   "Chad! Chad!" Audrey exclaimed. Carlos gently dragged Sage back while Ben held Jay back. 

   "Are you okay?" He asked. 

   "My hand just hurts," Sage grumbled, still holding onto her wrist. Carlos lifted her arm slowly, checking it out. 

   "Go put some ice on it," He instructed, turning around to see Evie and Mal running off. 

   "Jay! Carlos!"

   "Good punch, by the way," Carlos muttered before joining his friends. 

   "Guys!" Ben called out. 

   "Evie!" Sage shouted, watching the group run out of sight. Sage deflated, stumbling over to Ben. The future king held his friend steady, his gaze sliding over to his parents. King Adam was cleaning his glasses while Belle still looked surprised. 

   "I fear something like this would happen." King Adam said. 

   "This isn't their fault!" Ben defended them. 

   "No, son," King Adam stared his son down, putting on his glasses. "It's yours."

With that, Adam grasped Belle's hand and started to lead her away. "Mom. . ." Ben started, but the two walked away. Sage gently turned Ben just as his friends started to stalk away from him. 

   "Doug-" Sage started, but the boy was already walking away with Lonnie. She let out a sigh, hanging her head. Someone cleared their throat, causing Sage to snap her head back up. Snow White stood in front of them with a neutral expression. "Mom. . ."

Snow White didn't say a word, just gently grabbed Sage's hurting hand and looking at it. Snow dropped it gently, looking Sage in her eye and simply said, "I taught you better than this."

   "Mom-"

But Snow White had already turned away, following King Adam and Queen Belle towards the exit. 

Ben and Sage, the two best friends that stood by each others side, stood in the middle of the gardens thinking over what had just happen. Ignoring the looks and whispers about them, Ben looked down at Sage and started to guide her away. 

   "Come on. Lets get some ice for your fist."

🍎

Roughly an hour later, Sage had her wrist wrapped tightly and a pack of ice settling on it. Ben and her were looking for the villain kids, and eventually found them sitting at the benches. 

   "Hey, guys." Ben greeted, clapping his hands. "How is everyone?"

No one said anything. 

   "Yeah?"

Sage sighed, walking closer to Evie and gently putting her hand on her shoulder. Evie barely jerked away, leaving Sage to grasp empty air. 

 Ouch.

   "Hey, listen," Ben started, tapping Jay's shoulder in comfort. "Forget about it. All right? It was nothing. Forget about it. Let it go." He gently rubbed Mal's shoulders.  "Tomorrow, after the coronation, I promise everything will be okay." 

Ben bent his head down, whispering something into Mal's ear before speaking to the rest of them. "I'll see you guys later."

Sage watched her friend go, eyes sad, before going back to Evie. "Hey," She said softly, clearing her throat. "I, uh, I got those earrings for you. Finished it this morning and. . .yeah."

Awkwardly, Sage shuffled around to dig around in her bag. The ice pack dropped to the ground and with a curse she let it stay there. Finally, Sage pulled the ruby earrings out of her purse. 

They glimmered in the setting sun, the teardrop rubies shining brightly. They were connected to silver gems and a silver line, making them slightly dangle. 

   "I-I hope you like them," Sage murmured, holding them out. Evie carefully took them, the two girls lingering their touch before Sage took a step back. "I'm with you guys, please try to remember that."

That being said, Sage made her way back to the school, head slightly hanging. Not even noticing a certain villains longing gaze.