"When there was me and you..."

Carl started muttering again to himself as they waited for Russell to return. Rapunzel sat on a rock, with her arms wrapped around her knees, humming to herself. She could see now why her mother had longed to come here; it was a very peaceful, exotic place.

“I found the snipe,” came Russell’s voice, suddenly.

“Oh, did you?” mused Carl, humouring him.

Rapunzel adjusted her harness. “Good for you, Russell.”

“Are they tall?” asked Russell.

“Oh, yes, they’re very tall,” sinabi Carl.

“Do they have a lot of colours?”

“They do indeed.”

“Do they like chocolate?”

Rapunzel...

The susunod day, Belle and Bartok took a walk in the gardens. It was about six o’clock in the morning but Belle hadn’t been able to sleep and so Bartok had suggested a walk, or in his case, a fly. So, they were out, strolling around the grounds. Belle’s mind was still reeling with the revelation of the night before. Anya was in love, with a man who had once been a rogue and was now one of the Empress’ bodyguards. And she didn’t like the special treatment their parents gave her. Poor Anya, she thought to herself.

“What’s on your mind?” Bartok asked, fluttering onto her shoulder....

“So, Belle, ya got a boyfriend?” asked Lottie, not in a nosy way, but in a polite, conversational tone.

Belle felt herself blushing. “Yes,” she admitted. After being just mga kaibigan with Adam for so long, in spite of her growing feelings for him, she still felt a tingling of excitement when she remembered that they were now an official couple. “His name’s Adam.” She felt the need to explain to the newcomer. “We didn’t used to get along very well, but then, after a couple of incidents, we became mga kaibigan and then fell in love. He asked me out at our school dance.”

“Aw!” Lottie...