This is the 3rd/4th part of my After Ever After series, it is the first multi-chapter story in the series so wait for the next one to come out. It focus on Apple's relationship with her mother and Snow's past relationship with the Evil Queen. Just a warning for anyone hoping that Snow White is the villain of the story... she isn't. She certainly isn't shown to be right in the chapters to come, but hopefully I'm a half decent enough writer to make her sympathetic at least, you be the judge when the next chapter comes out. Oh and my own head canons will affect the stories, a big one being that Apple in the insatiable one in the relationship. Most likely I'm not going to write smut for Ever After High, but since I've aged the characters up to the point of adult hood where they are getting married, I think sex is a perfectly acceptable topic to discuss for their ages.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and as always I don't own this stuff, yada yada yada

'So here I am,' Raven thought to herself, 'a graduate of Ever After High.' She opened the little book case they gave her to put her diploma in when it actually arrived for now it just held a place holder that said her name, 'Raven Queen,' in italicized violet letters. The ceremony was a lot less festive now that no one was chained to their destinies. The previous generations graduation were full of ceremonies and rituals that only served to bind them to the futures they shared with their parents, but no more. No more sealing of the old names, no more donning the garb of your parents to leave your old life behind, now the graduation consisted of the ceremony and the party after with the faculty, students, and parents. Not to mention the paparazzi that flocked to the ceremony to see what the future royalty of the land would do now that they were no longer bound within Ever After High's walls.

The press cared too much in Raven's opinion as they surrounded her girlfriend-, no, her fiancé, their future queen outside. Apple's leniency towards them didn't help. Growing up raised to be their queen made Apple more empathetic to the press since that was how most of the world got information on politics. Raven could sympathize but since most of the newspapers and mirrorblogs always wrote her off as the Evil Queen's spawn without actually doing any research or gather information. To Raven the so called professional journalists were no better than the gossip rag parasites.

A few of them had approached her earlier right after the ceremony and without asking permission started taking pictures and shouting some very personal questions at her. For Apple's sake Raven attempted to humor them the best she could, explaining that she didn't have any evil plans for the future and instead would be going into medicine working for the local coven. No, she wasn't planning on going along with the story at all, not even to put Apple under for a day. Mostly questions she had been getting since she first refused to sign the Storybook of Legends, except the so called professionals were even more childish and rude than the teenagers she had go to school with.

However the attempt to humor them reached its boiling point when one reporter worked up the courage and lost his survival instinct to ask if she had cast a spell on Apple to make her fall in love with her. Raven was already fuming at that point and that brought out the Evil Queen in her. Love wasn't something that could be falsely created with a spell or a potion, it was simply too powerful and magical in its own right. Lust and affection could be brewed and bottled, but not love, not the way she felt for Apple. So the Evil Queen's daughter came out a bit when she turned the man's microphone into a snake and his camera into a crab, after that no one bothered her.

She was a bit grumpy after that altercation with the reporter, and unfortunately she didn't have her Apple hugs to help her smile again. Raven's friends were also inside enjoying the graduation dance that Giles Grimm had Briar throw as a going away gift to the students. Raven wanted to go inside, but it didn't' feel right without Apple, even though she knew Apple would be fine with her going in. It would only be another 10 minutes or so, like her Apple disliked the filthy gossip rags so once they started to ask her questions she would be go. She could wait that long, for Apple she'd wait forever.

"Mind if I stand beside you," a voice so musical called out from beside her that for a moment Raven thought it was Apple. To her surprise it was actually Snow White instead.

"Of course your majesty," Raven said weakly, "it's your kingdom after all." Mentally she cursed herself for sounding so stupid in front of Apple's mother. She knew that Apple had been estranged with her mother since the two of them had gotten together. The Queen of Ever After didn't exactly approve of her daughter, the future fairest of them all, and her future villainess. Yet here she was smiling warmly at Raven like she was a member of the family.

"Thank you," the Queen said smoothly as she took her place leaning against the wall beside Raven looking as perfectly in place as always. She smiled warmly at Apple who faced the press like she was born to be up there, which she was, and then let out a soft chuckle, "I'm glad she's the one up there now, those vultures have been hounding me for a month about Apple's future, now they can finally leave me alone."

Raven was just silent, she expected the next time she met Snow White would be when she introduced the Queen to her first grandchild to help soften the blow. Instead the Ever After Alumni sought her out and seemed to be making small talk with her, it was such an odd situation her brain was having trouble making heads or tails of what was happening. "She does look good up there," Raven managed to get out awkwardly.

"Yes she does, like a natural born queen," Snow White said not taking her eyes off her daughter, her eyes beaming with pride. Tears started to fall from the older woman's eyes and Raven instinctively gave her a handkerchief to dry her eyes. "Thank you my dear," the queen said gratefully, "please forgive an old woman for crying a mother's tears," she said as she wiped her eyes clean.

"Don't worry about it," Raven said attempting to sound casual despite her heart sounding like it was trying to escape her chest. For a moment Raven wondered if it was just the White family that managed to do that to her, but to be fair with Apple the feeling was far more pleasant, "It's an emotional time for us all," Raven said remembering how she had broken down a few days ago when she thought Apple was going to break up with her. The surprise was better than she could hope, Apple bending down a knee and pulling out the ring, just remembering made her heart flutter pleasantly compared to the hammering it was doing around Snow White.

"Yes I suppose that's true," Snow said finally getting her soaking eyes under control. "I'll have this washed and returned to you," she said in regards to the thoroughly soaked hankie that would be run to return in such condition. Not giving Raven a chance to answer Snow White spoke up again, "how silly of me to forget getting caught up in this motherly pride, I do believe congratulations are in order."

"Oh well thank you your majesty," Raven said surprised but not unpleasantly so, "it's not every day you graduate from high school and enter the real world, but I'd like to think we're ready for it," she said thinking about her friends and Apple, about how much they've grown and matured over the past four years.

"Well yes I suppose there is that," Snow White said letting out an honest to goddess giggle. "Don't get me wrong Raven, I don't mean to undermine your accomplishments, your year has done more for and to Ever After High than any year before. You should feel quite proud of yourself," she said sincerely making Raven feel a nugget of warmth light up her body.

She rarely saw her mother other than during the allowed visitation days and talking at a mirror wasn't exactly the same as having a conversation with her mom. Not to mention that when her mother did express pride in her accomplishments it was normally for something evil and not something Raven was proud of. The small compliment of almost maternal affection was rather alien to Raven, but it was far from unpleasant.

"However," Snow said cutting in, "I wasn't talking about your graduation from high school." Seeing the confusion on Raven's face, "I mean to say, congratulations on your engagement," Snow said giving Raven a hug. It was warm if unexpected, now Raven knew where Apple learned her wonderful hugs.

"Y-you know," Raven asked still in a daze at the hug.

"Yes I know," Snow said after releasing Raven and giving her future daughter-in-law a smile. "Despite our disagreements," Snow said tactfully though her face made her guilt obvious, "a daughter knows that her mother should know the first night she puts a ring on her finger. Or in this case puts a ring on a finger," she said taking Raven's hand. "Though I am surprised to see your hands are bare."

Raven pulled out the chain that she had hidden inside of her shirt, Apple had suggested she do so and she agreed with her bride to be. If Raven showed up to graduation with an engagement ring on her finger the two of them would be hounded by the sleaziest of parasites hungry for a story. They would risk a little purple fire just to get a picture of the two of them and ruin everything for them and their friends. This night was their night, they earned it and they weren't going to spend a minute more than they had to on those who only cared for a story, not their story. That's why despite it feeling like she was tearing off her own hand when she did, Raven took off the beautiful ring Apple had given her and instead wore it around her neck on a chain as gold as Apple's hair so it was still touching her.

"It's beautiful," Snow White said rubbing a long slim finger over the amethyst in the center, "and it matches your eyes so perfectly," she said once she finally looked up from the ring.

"Thank you your majesty," Raven said tucking the ring back into her bosom making sure no one saw what was on the chain. "Though I am surprised how calm you're being about the whole engagement since you've been against our relationship from the start."

"Yes, I suppose that it would seem like I was against your relationship," Snow said guiltily. "For what it's worth it was never anything against you personally that made me disapprove of your relationship with my daughter."

"I'm sure," Raven said finding her sass as she remembered the nights that she lied awake as Apple cried in her sleep over her mother's disapproval of her romantic life. "That's why you tried to set Apple up with literally every eligible prince and princess as long as they weren't me."

Snow White actually flinched at Raven's word this time. "It was never something I held against you Raven , I just thought I was doing the right thing."

"Well you were wrong," Raven snapped, "I love Apple more than anything in this world and she loves me, we are getting married whether or not you accept that."

"I know I was wrong Raven," the Queen admitted trying to calm the girl down, "I know that now and I want to make amends. To you and to Apple," she said in a softer voice. And that sincere softness was enough to start chipping away at Raven's wall of anger. "If you would give me a chance to explain and apologize… that's all I ask, though I know I don't deserve it, but if you are willing, I'd most appreciate it."

The witch wasn't very good at staying angry at people even as a little girl, she had seen her mother get too angry over little things and big things until she was just angry all the time. Another part of her mother that Raven refused to let manifest in her. Still, it's been two years, and whatever the Queen's reasons that was far too long to go without talking to a daughter, especially one as loving as Apple. "I'll talk to Apple because I know how much she wants to talk to you," Raven conceded, "but on one condition."

"Name it Raven," Snow said desperately.

"If, and only if Apple agrees to see you, then you don't tell us your reasons until we're ready to hear them. The first thing out of your mouth to Apple will be a completely sincere apology," Raven said firmly. "You apologize for shunning her, you apologize for being so cold, and you apologize for every night she cried herself to sleep in my arms because she chose to love me over living a lie. Only then will we listen to the reasons you have," Raven said as strong as she could. Her hands tingled with magic as she remembered Apple's tears; she didn't want to hurt her soon to be mother in law though, if only for Apple's sake so she kept a lid on her fire.

"Done," Snow replied, there was pain in her voice, not from the deal but from guilt. She thought, 'if only I was less stubborn and talked to Apple years ago, maybe she would have understood better.' But queens did not have the leisure of ifs; a queen makes a decision and must deal with the consequences for good or ill. "I don't wish to monopolize your time any more tonight Raven, you should be proud of your accomplishments and celebrating, not listening to your mother in law go on and on. I just wish to speak with my daughter a moment and then I will leave and let the two of you decide if or when you wish to hear what I have to say," she said as she gave Raven a slight curtsy and walked away.

Raven watched silently as Snow intercepted Apple before she made it to the witch princess. Raven couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could see Snow White tearing up when she saw her daughter for the first real time in years. It felt awkward knowing that the two of them hadn't spoken as mother and daughter for a long time, but Raven couldn't help but feel warmth bloom in her chest as she saw both of them crying and embracing. After a few minutes the two Whites broke the embrace and were back to speaking. Snow started to say something and kissed her daughter on the cheek before walking off and letting her daughter be.

To Apple's credit the princess didn't break down instead she walked to her fiancée's side with that sad smile. Raven moved in close to kiss her but Apple stopped her, "not in front of the vultures sweetie," she whispered. Taking the initiative, Raven teleported the two of them into the gymnasium where their friends and classmates were celebrating their last night at Ever After High. Out of respect for Apple, Raven teleported the two of them higher up in the ramparts so they could talk.

"Are you okay-," Raven asked out of concern for her girlfriend. She knew that being confronted by your mother after so long couldn't have been easy, especially since Apple had once worshipped her mother not so long ago.

But Apple wasn't looking for her sweet and understanding girlfriend at the moment and Raven wasn't faced with the same demure girl she fell in love with. She was facing her sultry and surprisingly bold fiancée. Before Raven could get the third word out of her mouth Apple silenced her with a kiss. It was like Apple herself, bold and fiery but loving and gentle, Raven melted into her beloved's lips like she did every time Apple kissed her. There was some lip on lip action before the princess slipped her tongue into the witches mouth and let her hands roam her beloved's curves.

Raven let Apple have her way with her for several minutes but stopped her fairest of them all when she moved under her dress in very unfair ways. "Not now Apple, we're in public and at a party, Briar's last bash at Ever After High, she'd kill us if we missed it to do this," Raven managed to get her mind back together from the mush Apple turned it into long enough to stop her fiancée from ravishing her completely.

Apple couldn't help but giggle at how adorable Raven was. They had been together more than two years and had made love more times that either girl could count, yet even with just the two of them there her cheeks burned red at the merest mention of sex. "Maybe," Apple said sucking on Raven's neck, "but wouldn't that be a great way to go," her voice dripping with lust.

"I'm serious Apple," Raven said finally after a few more pleasurable moments she managed to wrangle her princess's hands with her own. "We need to stop for right now," Raven didn't know where she found the strength to resist Apple at that moment. "We're in public and at the last party of our school lives, this is the last time we'll see all of our friends together like this. We can do whatever you want to do when we get back to the dorm and every night afterwards, but we have to go down there and mingle or we'll regret it," Raven said trying to get her lustful lover under control.

Eventually Apple stopped trying to steal all the air in Raven's lungs with her mouth but the moment Raven let down her guard Apple collapsed into her bosom. It was surprisingly nonsexual for all the kissing they were doing earlier, as if Apple was just trying to find comfort in Raven's chest. "I know your right," Raven heard her say muffled as the words were; "you're so smart, I'm lucky to have you. I just need something to get those vultures off my mind," she twitched in disgust; it wasn't an easy to do surrounded by a Raven's womanliness and warmth. "I could feel their eyes on me when I was up there, asking me invasive questions about our love life and if I planned on staying with my 'Evil Queen' or upgrading for a princess that was more 'acceptable,' for a woman of my status. Ancestors I hate them," she said still nestled in Raven's bosom. "Then my mom came over and threw me for a loop, and… and I just wanted to wrap you around me and have your love and goodness cleanse me. Is that too much to ask?"

"Apple I love you and I know you love my chest, but you're going to have to come out if we're going to talk about something this heavy," Raven said trying to keep her face and voice straight while her girlfriend acted like a kitten.

"No, I like it here," Apple said childishly as she wrapped her arms around Raven to get a better grip. But eventually Raven got her to come out, with promises of kisses and backrubs. "You're not evil Raven no matter what they say no matter what you signed, no matter what that stupid little girl I was wanted you to be, you're sweet, and good, and amazing."

"I get it Apple," Raven said wiping the tears out of Apple's eyes, "you're sorry that you used to be anything like them. But Apple, you never were like them, yes you wanted an Evil Queen to play a part in your story, but you were also my friend and tricked into believing lies about fairy tales. And a bit spoiled but sweet overall and you know I've forgiven you a long time ago. So stop crying pretty girl and let's go down there and celebrate," Raven said standing up and offering Apple her hand.

"As long as you save your dance card for me," Apple said taking Raven's hand and giving her a princess worthy smile.

"Until you grow bored of me," Raven said kissing the back of her princess' hand.

"Maybe I'll grow bored of dancing, but I swear Raven Queen, I will never grow bored of you, not even when we grow old and grey and have a hundred grand children around our heels," Apple said.

"A hundred's a bit much Apple," Raven said half horrified of the idea of that many kids and half amused about how serious Apple was. Still, she could picture them as little old ladies and the idea of being surrounded by grandchildren and the idea did appeal to her.

"It's a bit smaller than a hundred children which is what I was originally going to propose," Apple teased back, "but let's get married first and start with one and see how well we do with raising her first and then see how many grandkids we'll get in the years to come. They only have to be ours," she said.

Raven wanted to tell Apple about the conversation she had with Snow White, but decided no wait until later. They could talk about that later tonight, like Apple's mother had said tonight was for them and they would enjoy their last night with their friends as student of Ever After High. "Ready to turn the page," she asked as strong as she could as she held out her hand.

"With you Raven always," Apple said taking Raven's hand and kissing her one last time before Raven teleported them below.