Whenever one of Gracehills came to town, eyes of fear and suspicion would follow them.

The townspeople didn't know much about the family - the strange circumstances with which they arrived didn't help either. The couple had knocked on the church door on a stormy night requesting for shelter. In the morning, they revealed that they had gotten lost and injured while traveling for a place to settle down and have a family.

The entirety of Gavaldon had become anxious, wondering what it meant. No newcomers had been present in town since its founding, and the only people to ever return to it from the Schools were Sophie and Agatha. The town had attempted to head out into the forest soon after their arrival, hoping that the force that was keeping them in was broken. But all the venturers returned to Gavaldon confused and weary and no better than when they had set out. Scarlett and Clement tried to leave the town as soon as they had recovered, but discovered that they were now under the same spell.

Since they came to the town, the couple had unintentionally done things that led the town becoming more and more suspicious of them. They had built their home in the forest since Gavaldon's population had grown since the time of Sophie and Agatha, and they had been living there just fine with the worst thing happening to them being the occasional cold or fever. They had a son who - at least to the villager's minds - had an uncanny resemblance to the image of the School Master in their storybooks. Finally, despite living right in the woods, the family never noticed anything peculiar during the kidnappings.

Now, over a decade later, the town was still wary of them and their children.

Rose held her brother's hand a little tighter as they walked into Gavaldon. She never did like the looks the grown-ups gave her family.

"We'll be fine." Rose glanced at Frost, and he gave her hand a small squeeze. "They can't hurt us unless we-"

"Hey, get the ball already!"
"C'mon! C'mon!"
"Faster, before it gets...away."

Three boys about Rose's age abruptly stopped a few meters away from Frost and his sister. Rose followed their line of sight to see the ball that had bumped against her brother's leg. The boys glanced at each other uncertainly, silently daring each other to be the one to get their toy from the two.

"You get it."
"No, you get it! I don't want to go near the witch."
"The witch? Are you crazy? The School Master has it!"

The boys were whispering, but with his enhanced sense of hearing, Frost could get what they said just fine. He was used to being called the School Master, though he wasn't sure of what it meant, but this was the first time he heard people call his sister a witch. His expression darkened. With his strength, he could easily kick the ball with enough force to pop it. If he was lucky, maybe it would hold long enough to break something else. But before he could do anything, his sister bent down and picked it up.

"Here," Rose walked towards the boys, toy offered in her outstretched hands. She gave a small, polite smile when she spoke. Maybe they'd talk this once. Maybe they stopped playing the Game.

The children stared, but made no move towards it.

Rose's smile faltered for a moment. "Don't you want it back?"

One of the boys opened his mouth only to be elbowed by his friend. "Talk to the witch and you get bad luck, remember?"

Oh, so they were still playing the Game. It was easier to think of it as a game when the children avoided her and Frost. The rule was always the same: Frost was the School Master - an It of the Game- and he was to be avoided. Rose was the other It, but they never called her anything until now. She guessed they finally decided on Witch being the title for her.

Rose tried not to frown. "Sorry for bothering you," she said softly, then scurried back to Frost. It was okay if they didn't want to talk, Rose didn't want to make any of them lose the Game.

As they walked away, he could faintly hear the boys crowding around their toy behind them, his sharpened sense of hearing catching mumbles of needing to search for long branch and an argument of whether to poke it to the lake or church to be un-cursed. He wondered how long Rose could keep pretending that they were just playing a game. As if they'd ever include either of them if they were. They'll never stop, don't you know that by now? You'll just keep getting hurt.

"Just they're mean doesn't mean we have to be." Frost blinked at his sister's words, sure that he only thought those things in his mind. But Rose wasn't looking at him. Her gaze was distant, a sad but hopeful smile on her face. "It would be nice if they start talking to us one day, wouldn't it?"

Frost wasn't sure whether he liked the hope his sister had. Hope was good, but if it was crushed over and over again, and would never lead to anything, it was depressing to see.

"I guess," he replied, just to show her he was listening.

~~~

Sugarplum Fairy's Candy was a snug little sweet shop crammed between the toy shop and the bakery. It was a place where everyone felt welcome, even the Gracehills. Rows of purple shelves were stocked with everything from chocolates and lollipops to jawbreakers and jelly beans. The walls were painted with scenes from the Nutcracker, or more accurately, the Land of Sweets. The door chimes tinkled pleasantly as the siblings entered.

"Why if it isn't Frost and little Rosie!" She pushed herself out of her rocking chair and embraced the two children. "You've gotten so big already!"

Rose waited until she was let go and was able to breathe before greeting, "It's nice to see you too, Mrs. Dena."

Mrs. Dena was the middle-aged widow who owned Sugarplum Fairy's Candy. Her husband had passed away early in their marriage, and despite still being rather young and pretty then, she chose to not remarry. Because of this, she never had a child of her own. She still absolutely adored children though, which led to her making the sweet shop. But what made Rose and Frost like her the most was that she was one of the few villagers who didn't care the slightest about the Gracehills. In fact, she openly treated the two in the same motherly way she did the other children.

"So," she said, hands clasping together. "What brings you two here?"

The children grinned. "Ice cream."

"Chocolate?" Both nodded and she chuckled as she turned to the counter. "Maddie, would you please get the ice cream?"

Rose tilted her head while Frost took the money from his pocket. "Maddie?"

"How rude of me!" gasped Mrs. Dena. "I haven't introduced her to you yet, have I? Madelyn is my new helper. I'm afraid that I'm not as young as I used to be so-" A loud thump sounded from behind the counter. "Maddie, Maddie? Are you alright back there?"

"I'll be fine," replied a voice. "Just hit my head while arranging some things and my glasses fell off. . .now where could they have gone off to? Ah, here they are." A tall lady with ebony hair and thick glasses rose from behind the counter. The glass made her eyes look larger than they were, and their strange yellowish shade of green somewhat reminded Rose of an owl.

"Maddie, these are Rose and Frost." Mrs. Dena gestured to each of them as she spoke.  "You know, Scarlett's children."

The lady blinked a few times as she gazed at Frost with something that could only be described as nostalgia. "He was about your age then," she mumbled, smiling sadly. "This year would have been his twenty-first birthday. . ."

"Maddie," said the shop owner, voice gentle.

Madelyn snapped out of her trance and blushed. "Ah yes, the ice cream. I'll be right back."

As she went to the back of the store to get the frozen treats, Mrs. Dena sighed. "I'm sorry about that, Frost. Madelyn gets very sentimental whenever she sees something that reminds her of her son."

"What happened to him?" Frost said, thinking about the sadness that he had sensed when she was looking at him.

"It's. . .," Mrs. Dena thought of what to say. She huffed as she gave up and returned to her chair. "Complicated. Not something I'd like to speak about. Besides, your parents wouldn't like me scaring you two."

Before either of the children could respond, Madelyn returned with two cones piled with creamy chocolate scoops. "Here you go," she said as she handed the ice cream to the children.

"C'mon, let's get back home before Mom starts to worry." Frost took Rose's free hand and began walking out. "Bye! Thank you for the ice cream!"

Rose happily licked the melting treat before turning back to wave as they left the building. "Bye Mrs. Dena, bye Mrs. Madelyn! Thanks for the ice cream!" She smiled as they waved back then returned her attention to the cone in her hand.

Frost leisurely ate his ice cream, enjoying the coolness of it rather than the flavor. He finished his cone and hummed in thought. It was on the way home, and if there was one place where he could get some answers, it would have to be in there. "Rose?" His sister finished the last of her cone before looking up. "Do you mind if we stop somewhere before going back?"

Rose had a knowing look on her face. "Are you going to Mr. Deauville?"

"Just for a moment," he said quickly. "Mom and Dad shouldn't notice anything odd. Besides, there's nothing wrong with knowing the truth, is there?"

~~~

As the two neared the nearly three-century old library, Graves Hill loomed in the distance.

If one cared to look hard enough, the outline of a house could be seen above it. The place was still kept in good condition in memory of the couple who once lived there, but now it was nothing more than a memorial for all the children who were ever taken. Their pictures were placed there in the old house and on the twelfth day of every eleventh month, a new family would join the others in spending a night among the graves as they mourned their lost ones.

Unlike the other children, Rose and Frost weren't afraid of the cemetery. They weren't afraid of death or the the disappearances in the slightest. Scarlett and Clement didn't believe that the kidnappings were caused by some supernatural force and their children shared that belief. Though the sight of the lost children's families did make them sad, it made them curious as well.

Frost gently tugged his sister's arm to get her to stop staring into the distance and move along. Their parents would worry if they get home too late, and a second scolding so soon wouldn't be very good either. Rose reluctantly turned away and followed her brother into the library.

James, the current librarian and great-great-great grandson of Mr. Deauville was at the desk when Rose and Frost entered the building. He was busy sorting some recently returned books but noticed the children when they came in. "Hello there," he said warmly, though not looking up. "Come for another book, Rose?" 

The girl shook her head with a "No," while Frost spoke up. "We were wondering if you could help us with something."

"I'll help you as much as I'm able to, but my memory may not be as good as it used to be."

Frost tried not to grin too much. The Deauvilles were the equivalent of historians in Gavaldon, and this Mr. Deauville, though modest, was no exception. "Could you tell us anything about an Madelyn's son?"

"Madelyn...Madelyn...Madelyn," The librarian's eyes lit up as he remembered the lady. "You mean Maddie?"

Frost shrugged. "We don't know, she was helping Mrs. Dena in her store."

"Tall, thin, long black hair, thick glasses over green eyes?" They nodded. "Well, I suppose that it's good that she finally decided to leave her house. You see, she became quite the introvert when her son, her only child, was taken ten years ago. His name was Collin, I believe he turned fifteen that summer. Collin had a bad habit of stealing anything that would catch his eye, why he did that even though his father could have made it I'll never know. -oh, his father? He's a jeweler, and quite a talented one at that. He could have made most of the things that his son stole. Anyway, Collin even stole my pocket watch somehow. Other than his tendency to be a kleptomaniac, he was actually quite intelligent. He memorized just about anything he heard. But there was one little thing that made him stand out more than that little ability though..." James's tone became like that of a magician about to do his best trick as he leaned forward. "He had golden eyes."

At the confused look the children gave him he continued, his voice turning more mysterious. "His irises were the color of pure gold. They even seemed to have a metallic sheen about them if you looked at them a certain way. Some people say that his parents made a deal with a witch and that Collin's eyes were proof of that deal. Other rumors say that his gold eyes were a curse. More people believed it why he was kidnapped with Violet, but you know me." The librarian chuckled and his tone became light and cheerful. "Rumors are rumors. I say that he was just born special. So, is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, thank you for telling us about Collin though." Frost said politely. He was about to signal Rose to say goodbye when he noticed her casting a longing look at the shelves. "Do you want to bring something home?" Her head whipped around and a smile broke out on her face. "Just hurry, I don't want Mom to kill me."

Rose giggled and rushed to the shelves, causing James to stand and call after her. "No running in the-oh forget it." The librarian gave a tired sigh and returned to attention to the books on his desk. "Children nowadays," he mumbled. "Why do I even bother with the signs anymore?"

Frost watched his sister as she looked around the shelves for something to bring home, wondering what Collin might have been like. What James had said made it sound like he was an outcast just because of his eyes. Frost was an outcast because he resembled the School Master, whoever that was. Rose was an outcast just because she was a Gracehill. Now that he thought about it, didn't the children say that one of the two children taken during the kidnappings was always an outcast?

"Mr. Deauville, do you believe in the kidnappings?"

"Hmm?" The librarian stamped on the back of a book and closed it before looking up. "The kidnappings, you say? Well, of course I do. Doesn't every-" he quickly stopped himself. "I'm sorry, I forgot that your parents-"

"It's fine." Frost knew that their family was likely the only one that thought that the children got lost on purpose. "Do you mind telling me about it though? Rose and I are probably the only ones who don't know much about it."

"As long as you don't tell your parents. I'm certain that they wouldn't be pleased if they knew about this." James chuckled as Frost mimed zipping his mouth and throwing the key. "It all started two hundred years before the time of Sophie and Agatha. Every four years, two children would disappear from Gavaldon. Sometimes it would be two girls, sometimes two boys, sometimes one of each. They were never under twelve, but that's all we know about their ages. One thing that never changed was each of the children's personalities. One would be the picture perfect child, and the other...the other would be the exact opposite.The children were the first ones to find out what happened to their friends. While the adults were certain that bears and other equally odd theories were the answer, their little ones noticed something strange. The pictures of characters  in their storybooks looked remarkably like their friends, just aged a bit. Naturally, their parents didn't believe them at first. It took a few decades until they finally did, and that was probably because their children were the grown-ups then. I'm sure that you recall the preparations last year."

"Yeah." Frost grimaced at the thought. The well-behaved children would shave their heads, dirty their clothes, curse their families, vandalize buildings, beat their friends and siblings, and basically try to be the nastiest child in the village. The unruly children would sweep the streets, help the elderly, feed the poor, share their belongings, go to church, wear their Sunday's best, and become kind, though many were bribed to do so. Frost even saw bullies being attacked by their victims and willingly staying down. The degree of their fear of being kidnapped was ridiculous.

"They confronted my great-great-great grandfather on how he obtained the books. He explained that once a year, on a day he couldn't predict, a box with four storybooks would appear in front of his shop. Upon examination of one of the boxes, we found a stamped crest bearing three letters: S.G.E., there was no mistaking it's meaning. The children were being taken to the School for Good and Evil.

"Agatha and Sophie were the fifty-first pair to be taken to The School for Good and Evil. If their fairytale is to be believed, a shadow dragged them from their homes and a skeletal bird called a stymph took them the rest of the way. They were trained on how to become a villain and a princess respectively, but they escaped a year later because of their friendship. They were the first set of children to return, and all of Gavaldon celebrated.

"But, the joy was short-lived, for not even a year passed when the village was attacked. The assailants demanded Sophie be handed over to them, but the villagers refused. When many homes were destroyed, Sophie sacrificed herself to them and the attacks stopped. The next morning, Agatha was missing and her mother, Callis, told the Elders that she had failed to stop her daughter from going after her friend. Agatha returned about a year later, but with a prince rather than Sophie. The prince was none other than Tedros, the son of King Arthur that Sophie and Agatha had met the first time they were in the fairytale world. According to them, the School Master had been resurrected and Sophie had died fighting him while sending her friends back.

"For a while, it seemed that the curse was broken. The children burned all their storybooks in a great bonfire and my great-great-great grandfather had to close his storybook shop. His son, my great-great grandfather, decided to make some use out of the remaining books and made this library. He was actually a good friend of Tedros and built this library near the graveyard because of their friendship. Unfortunately, when both Agatha and Tedros died, whatever broke the curse died with them. Now the kidnappings still occur, though at irregular intervals, so the town prepares every four years regardless of if they will actually happen. Our efforts are still in vain, however, since nine years ago Collin and Violet disappeared without a trace despite all that the town did."

Frost stared at Mr. Deauville for a few moments, waiting for him to continue. "Really? That's it?"

"You don't feel slightest bit afraid? At all?"

The boy shrugged. "It's. . . a bit underwhelming actually. I mean, as a story, it's interesting, but that's what's been spooking the whole village?"

"Look," James said, a bit of irritation in his voice. "I understand that your family does not believe in such things, but it is true to the rest of the village. Families have been torn apart because of the curse, and as far as I'm concerned, there is nothing protecting your family from being torn apart as well! In fact, you're such easy prey in your little home in the woods that I wouldn't be surprised if you and your sister will be taken next!"

Frost glared at the librarian, all respect replaced by rage. The temperature began slightly dropping as he fought his anger, but a soft voice drew the attention of both males.

"You think. . .we'll be taken?"

A few books dropped from the girl's arms as James and Frost turned to Rose. The girl's eyes had a fearful look in them as her fingers twitched, her surprise stopping her from immediately picking up the fallen books.

"Rose, how long have you been standing there?" Frost asked concernedly.

"I heard the story about Sophie and Agatha." Rose's head bowed as she spoke, bashful and apologetic. "I-I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but. . . do you-do you really think. . .that he'll come after me and Frost?"

Mr. Deauville's expression softened. "No no, I simply lost my temper. Anyone could be next. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Oh, okay." Rose looked down at the scattered books and immediately kneeled down to start gathering them in her arms. "I'm really sorry for dropping them."

"It's quite alright, I know you didn't mean to." The librarian gave a quiet sigh as he watched Frost help his sister, wondering what having a sibling was like. He had an older sister once, a long, long time ago, but she was taken when he was still learning how to walk. He didn't have any memories of her, he would have even forgotten what she looked like if it wasn't for the sole picture of her that their parents kept. Maybe Jane would have been like Frost, protective but fun, maybe she would have been like Rose, sweet and adoring. Maybe that's why I'm so fond of them, James thought as he stamped the Rose's chosen books. These two are the perfect pair, the best case scenario if she wasn't taken.

"Bye Mr. Deauville!"

James snapped out of his thoughts and collected himself in time to wave to the children before they left the library. With a smile, he returned to arranging the returned books.

He certainly hoped they wouldn't be taken.

~~~

Rose knew that Frost expected them to turn back as soon as they left the library.

Go through the town square, ignore some stares, walk for a few minutes, and hopefully get back home before a scolding - the usual routine. Instead, she walked on, and her brother had to follow. "Rose. . .Rose? Home's the other way, remember?"

"I know."

There was only one place where their current path could lead to. Rose led them through rusty iron gates, past rows of tombstones, and up the steep stone steps of 1 Graves Hill. All the while, Frost silently followed, waiting for his sister to explain the reason for their presence in the cemetery. The old door creaked open with relative ease, and the two crept in. A guard was supposed to watch the building, but when you're supposed to watch a place that houses an image of your beloved son whose loving gaze turned accusing for not protecting him better, spending each day in peaceful dreams is preferable to being aware of your faults. Besides, who would be willing to steal from such a depressing site?

Rose set down The Sword Fairy* on a table for visitor's belongings and Frost set down the other two fairytales he had insisted on carrying for her as well. Unlit candles covered numerous stands and a large portion if the floor,  but that didn't stop the girl from stepping over them to see every portrait of a child she could find. One of the things she noticed was that hardly any of the pictures held smiling children, and those that did looked forced. Then again, who would smile knowing that one day, their picture might be placed among the others taken? Rose frowned at the thought as she continued inspecting the multitude of frames.

Frost, on the other hand, checked the nearby portraits disinterestedly, not searching for anything in particular as he mentally read the names. **Sarah Cru, Cora Lyne, Penn Merten, Frisk Untale, Jane Deauville, Wirt Walter, Tyrone Pines - wait, Deauville? Frost walked over to the frame with a little girl's image on it and gingerly picked it up. Jane Deauville was ten in the picture, but he could see that she had the same sky blue eyes, sharp nose, and widow's peak that the librarian had. Families have been torn apart because of the curse, and as far as I'm concerned, there is nothing protecting your family from being torn apart as well! Frost wordlessly returned the picture to its place, his mind thinking of how to apologize to James.

"This is him, isn't it?"

Even as she spoke, Rose's gaze didn't shift from the bejeweled frame in her hands. The boy in the picture had feathery black hair and and unlike the most of the other children, his impish grin reached his eyes, which the painter had captured well. In fact, they had been done with such careful work that they seemed to gleam with the same gold as the frame that surrounded it.

Frost peered over Rose 's shoulder, and she held it a little longer to let him see before returning the picture to its stand. Then they took the borrowed storybooks, tried their best to avoid the creaks in the floor, and left house with its sleeping guard and the pictures of Collin and Jane and all the others.

~~~

They passed the town square before Frost asked why.

"I don't know," was her answer.

Frost could tell whenever his sister lied, so he waited until they had completely left Gavaldon before asking again.

"I had to," she said this time.

That wasn't all of it, so minutes away from the house, he asked again.

This time, Rose strayed from the path and sat on the grass. Frost sat down beside her, and she looked at the book in her lap as she spoke. "Do you believe in what Mr. Deauville said?"

Frost drummed his fingers against his knee. "That the children are being kidnapped or that we'll be taken next?"

"Either. Both." His sister played with the corner of The Sword Fairy, her thumb flicking the pages up as she lowered her head. "Does it matter?"

"Yes."

". . ." Rose didn't answer, focusing instead at a patch of wild flowers near the tree beside them.

"Rose, Mom's probably worried sick and we're close to home. Let's do it then when Mom and Dad can help. This isn't the time to-"

"Then I guess it'll never be the time to talk." Frost wondered if his sister knew that the grass underneath them was beginning to wilt. "I know what Mom and Dad would say, They'd tell me to stop believing in nonsense. They wouldn't  get it." Even without Rose continuing, Frost could hear the but you would.

It was Frost's turn to look away. "Fine. Say that the children are getting kidnapped, what do you plan to do?"

"I. . . I want to help them," Rose replied softly, still looking at the flowers. "At least one of them."

The pieces clicked together in Frost's head. "That's why we went to Graves Hill? So you could know what Collin looks like?" A slight nod was her answer. "Is this because of Mrs. Madelyn missing her son?"

"It's about all of them."

Frost internally groaned. I shouldn't have let her go in there. "Look, I know you like helping others, but you can't help them. If they're not at the School, then they're probably dead. And how would you know that Collin would still be alive?"

"I don't, I just want to be ready if we're ever-"

"Taken?" he finished.

Rose went back to staring at the cover of the storybook, still and silent. Frost sighed. Things would be so much easier if he didn't have that shared ability of the anthroangeli to read emotions.He could sense his sister's shame for even considering it and her sadness for the lost children, but most of all, he could sense her resolve. Her determination to help even one of the poor souls greatly outmatched all her other emotions.

Frost carefully considered his words before speaking, "I don't believe that the School for Good and Evil is real," the wild flowers withered away- "but if it is and you or I get taken, I promise that I'll either find a way to follow you or make sure that I find Collin myself so I can help him for you." The flower patch returned to health and bloomed along with every other one within a two mile radius of the children.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" Rose wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him tight.

"Okay okay!" Frost said, untangling the arms from himself. "Remember, only if we're taken, got it?"

Rose nodded, a big grin on her face. "I promise I won't go looking for trouble myself."

"Good, now come on. We may still get home earlier enough so Mom might not kill us." Frost got to his feet, helped his sister up, and carried the two storybooks. As they returned to the path home, he could see the spring in Rose's step. Even though they were going to get scolded again, he realized he didn't care so much anymore. She was happy, and that was enough to make him happy too.

"Hey Frost," Rose said, turning back. "I'll tell Mom that it's my fault we're late okay? I'm the one who still wanted to get books and go to the cemetery after all."

"But it's only because we went to Mr. Deauville that you even wanted to go there," he protested

"And now I know who I want to help because of it. I'm telling Mom it's my fault, it's the least I can do." Rose looked at him pleadingly, eyes innocent, expectant, and hopeful.

It only took a few seconds for Frost to give in with a short, "Fine." Really, Mom and Dad were right about those being hard to resist. At least she did the same look to their mother, which managed to lessen their sentence of being grounded to the house to only two days instead of four.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
A/N: *After Three hundred years, some new fairytales would have been done right? The Sword Fairy is a nonexistent fairytale at this time though I might be expounding on it later on.
**Did you guys have fun guessing where those names come from? I sure had fun messing up the names of characters. Sara Crewe is from A Little Princess, Coraline is from the book Coraline or the movie but I like the book better, Pen was the original name of Finn Mertens from Adventure Time, Frisk is the name of the character from a game called Undertale, Walter was the original name of Wirt from Over the Garden Wall, and Tyrone is the name that Dipper Pines of Gravity Falls always wanted. Now you guys know some of the things I like. P.S. I don't own any of those characters, franchises or SGE please don't sue me or anything.

Thanks to everyone who's still reading this. Special thanks to Fiona_S_17 and horsesrule671 who were the first two to follow me so long ago. I'm sorry if your names have changed at this time.