"You're here? You're royal? Why haven't you told us?" The angry questions came fast.

T, eyes wide, began shushing Felicia. She grabbed her arms and quickly pulled her into the dorm room. The door closed behind them.

T's room was exactly the same as Felicia's: the same singular window, bed, dressers. The only difference was that T had no decorations from home. No photos, posters, flowers, anything. Just what the room came with, and a desk full of homework.

"Listen, Felicia," T began. "I know this is a lot. You weren't supposed to find out this way."

"Find out? We've been asking you all day where you're from and how we can help. And it turns out you're royal? Was all that stuff you said about having a hard life a lie?"

T shook her hands in earnest protest. "No! No, I really do have a hard life. I wasn't lying. I'm half royal, just like you, but it doesn't matter. I don't live in a castle. I don't have butlers. I don't get a say in politics. We live on the outside of the kingdom in a little village hut that's falling to pieces. I swear."

Felicia stared at T with distrust. She wanted to believe her, and her tone seemed honest enough, but she couldn't deny the amount of hurt she felt. T had claimed to be her fan, her friend. In one day, their friendship went from perfect to shambles.

"And maybe I didn't want to tell a group of people I just met about my personal life! Not everyone has a rags-to-riches fairy tale story."

Felicia nodded. "You're right. We shouldn't have pushed you. I'm sorry. I just feel it's our obligation to help those who need it—royal, half-royal, non-royal. It doesn't matter."

"Thank you, but I really am telling the truth. I was going to tell you, but I just—I couldn't."

Felicia looked away. "I—I want to believe you."

"You must! It's the truth!"

Felicia turned back around, almost towering over T. "Then why were you lying to me? To all of us? I—I thought you were my friend."

T seemed to sink under the weight of Felicia's words. Though they were the same height, she appeared to shrink. "It wasn't a whole lie, Felicia. I had to say it like I did for... reasons. I never meant to hurt you."

"So, you just wanted to use us. Is that it? Use our fame, our kindness, our generosity?"

T's face twisted with disgust. She opened her mouth but was unable to form the words. She moved away from Felicia and sat on the edge of her bed, her head in her hands. "It's not like that at all," her voice was meek.

Felicia threw her arms up in impatience. "Then what is it, then? Please help me understand."

"I'm from Far Far Away."

The silence in the room was deafening. Felicia stood, her gaze drifting as thoughts raced through her mind. It didn't make any sense.

"Far Far Away? But it's a prosperous kingdom. We don't—we're—we... What do you mean you grew up poor? How are you half royal?"

"It's complicated. That's why I didn't say anything. It's sad and embarrassing. And it's not like you can waltz up to a royal and tell them their Kingdom sucks."

Felicia walked over and sat next to T on the bed. "If you weren't going to tell me, nothing would have ever better—not your situation, and not our friendship."

T nodded silently at first, then began to speak. "Did your mom ever tell you about Rapunzel?"

"A little, yeah. She was in cohorts with the villains trying to take my family down. Why?"

"When she was sentenced for treason, her kingdom fell."

"Right. But I thought all her citizens either chose a new vassal or joined the dominant kingdom."

"Well, you missed one." She looked at Felicia with tears in her eyes.

The comment made Felicia's heart sink. How did Fiona and her grandparents miss a family? Felicia felt like it was her fault. While it might not have been literally her, she somehow felt responsible for T's harsh life.

All of her fault? Does that mean T wrote the note?

"So, it was you," Felicia said out loud. "You left the threatening note under my door!"

T's cheeks went pink with embarrassment. "Yes. I did. I was angry and alone, and at the time it seemed justified. I just wanted a little piece of justice. But then I decided to actually meet you, and everything changed. We became friends! That's why I didn't tell you. I regret the note. I didn't want this." T hung her head in shame as tears began to trickle down her face.

"When we asked where you were from and offered help, you knew we were from Far Far Away. We can help you, Vanity. I'll still help you. We'll get you into a new situation. Just like after Rapunzel's fall, you can pick where you'd like to go. I'll have the Queen personally escort you and your father, if you'd like. All of the princesses are extremely loyal and kind and strong."

T nodded but said nothing.

"It's going to be okay," Felicia said. "And if it helps, I won't say anything to my brothers or Maris. I can tell them you're from Sunflower Fell. It's a relatively small village on the outskirts of Duloc. They won't think twice. And if they offer to help, I'll say I already reached out to Arthur."

T nodded again, still silent, as tears continued to trickle down her face while she stared at the floor.

Felicia, noting that the conversation was over, began heading to the door. "I won't say anything. You have my word. But I think it's best if we keep our distance for now."

T looked up with shock in her eyes, clearly hurt by Felicia's statement. But how could she be hurt when she had ruined Felicia's trust on day one? She didn't like it but understood.

A squeaky whisper of "I'm sorry" came from T. She tucked up her knees and buried her head. Her back shook as she cried.

"I'm sorry too." Felicia closed the door and headed back to her room, where she flopped down on her bed and cried herself to sleep.