Aurora sighed. Her parents were visiting the king of a foreign country with King Hubert, and Phillip had to take over things at his father's palace while he was away. It was a long, perilous journey, so Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather had accompanied them. Even most of the servants had gone. Only a few of them and Aurora remained on the big, empty palace.
Out of boredom, Aurora reached for a quill pen and parchment, and began a letter to Snow White. The letter invited her to a week-long stay at the castle. She copied the letter off seven madami times and sent a copy to each of her friends. The susunod araw Snow White, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Tiana, Pocahontas, Belle, and Ariel arrived, announced sa pamamagitan ng one of the remaining guards. The araw before, a few of Aurora's personal maids had set up nine beds in the largest chamber. Each princess claimed one, and then they went to the dining hall for dinner. Snow White just couldn't resist bring along some of her ardilya friends, but Aurora gave them some nuts and put them in the gardens. After dinner, which was a different meal for each of the princess's tastes, they washed up and went to bed. They all slept peacefully that night. When they woke, they ate a quick breakfast and went to they gardens so Snow White could visit her squirrels. Aurora introduced them to some female squirrels, and just watching their reactions caused everyone to burst into laughter. Aurora was especially content. Having her mga kaibigan with her helped her to stop missing Phillip, her parents, and her mga engkanto so much. After that they went inside and chatted the rest of the araw away. It was amazing the way they were all so happy with their boyfriends, husbands, and lives in general. Snow White spent a lot of time asking Tiana about what it was like to be a frog, and wishing she could experience it herself. She replied, "It's even better if you have an unusually handsome guy frog with you," while lifting her eyebrows up and down. Everyone burst into that wonderful laughter again. It was so much fun, they forgot to have lunch and scarfed down hapunan to make up for it. Then they went to sleep, with Aurora wishing this would never end.
This dream wouldn't come true.
Very early morning, everyone awoke. What they found was Ariel lying dead under blood-splattered sheets. The remaining eight girls shrieked in horror, when madami servants came to balutin Ariel up and take her away. Marie, Aurora's paborito maid, said, "We'll send a message to Eric and King Triton, ma'am. We will stop at nothing until we find who did this. Fauna will be coming back from the journey to stay with you girls." She curtsied, then left. Everyone sat in shocked silence for awhile.
Then Pocahontas brought up the issue on everyone's minds. "Who did this?" she sinabi in a shaky voice. "Who would kill Ariel?"
"I...have a few ideas." Belle said. "Maybe it was one of the servants. Or it could be Esmeralda, Megara, Eilonwy, or even Anastasia. A girl who would be jealous to not be as appreciated as us."
Tiana spoke up. "But Anastasia isn't even a Disney movie."
"Exactly. She's jealous that her movie was inspired sa pamamagitan ng us, and no matter how fabulous, 20th Century soro just can't live up to Disney."
"That's true," Sinderella admitted. "But why now? Why Ariel? What did she do to harm anyone? She didn't even kill her own villain, she wouldn't hurt a fly."
Belle was silent.
Then hasmin spoke up.
"Or it could be one of us," she sinabi quietly.
Everyone's heads turned toward Mulan.