INT. ANGELA'S HOUSE - ANGELA'S ROOM - DAY

(Aurora quickly rises, nervously responding to her mother)

AURORA: you... I... it's...

ANGELA: I thought you were going to your room to take a nap. What are you doing in my room?

AURORA: I... I came... to... mom, you were lying to me all this time

ANGELA: where have you been going to? Is it Walker? (Exasperated) Gosh, that old man is quite persistent in his interference, and he won't get off my back either

AURORA: you... why?

ANGELA: don't you dare ask me that! Do you know how my life has been ever since your selfish mother took everything away from me? She took your father away from me. I was supposed to marry the Emperor; I was to be his Empress, but he fell in love with your mother instead. How pathetic!

AURORA: you kidnapped me. You stole my childhood and my family's love

ANGELA: you deserve it, Aurora. My plan to marry your father failed so I improvised. I kidnapped you from your family and raised you up. Do you know why? Because I want the exchange. I know your mother would choose you over the Emperor, so I wanted the exchange but my plan failed again. I don't know who kidnapped the Emperor and Empress, but the person did a bad job

AURORA: you won't win

ANGELA: the victory is already mine, sweetheart. I still have you with me

AURORA: not anymore. I am going to the palace to be the Empress I am

(Angela stares at Aurora and bursts out cackling malevolently)

ANGELA: you are so hilarious, sweetheart. You are staying with me, whether you like it or not

AURORA: I am going to the palace, and it's final

(Aurora makes her way to the exit, but Angela picks up a vase and lands it on her head. Aurora falls down)

ANGELA: no one leaves until I say so

(Angela carries Aurora to her room and locks her up)

EXT. STREET - DAY

(The atmosphere is tense as the group of friends anxiously makes their way to Aurora's house, desperately attempting to reach her after a prolonged period of unresponsiveness)

RILEY: I am Aurora's best friend and I say, it is not like her to switch off her phone

DAPHNE: (worried) what could be the problem? Do you think she is in trouble?

RILEY: Aunt Angela would take down anyone trying to harm Aurora, so she is definitely safe

ANDREW: yeah, I agree with Riley

AARON: or maybe they decided to leave after all?

RILEY: I'd dig into the ground to find Aurora and give her a piece of my mind if she dared

DAPHNE: well, we can't go to her house because Angela won't let us in

ANDREW: and to be on the safer side

AARON: what do you mean?

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ANDREW: Riley, do you want to elaborate?

(Riley smiles and bursts into laughter)

RILEY: I went to check on Aurora, and... Andrew accompanied me. Unfortunately, we were escorted out with a frying pan

DAPHNE: Angela?

ANDREW: mm-hmm

(They all burst out laughing)

AARON: thank God you didn't ask me to accompany you

RILEY: what if I did? Would you have ditched me?

AARON: well, for some reasons...

DAPHNE: you are not serious, Aaron

RILEY: we are sneaking in to check on Aurora tonight. Who's in?

DAPHNE: I am definitely in

ANDREW: me too

AARON: come on guys, don't do this to me. (Sighs) fine, I am cautiously in

(They all burst out laughing)

RILEY: alright, see you guys later

AARON: should I accompany you home?

RILEY: I am fine

(Riley waves goodbye and exits)

DAPHNE: why are you standing here, dude? Go apologize

AARON: yeah, got it

(Aaron exits, leaving Daphne and Andrew laughing)

ANDREW: he needs help

DAPHNE: immediately

INT. EMPIRE - IMPERIAL SALON - DAY

(Walker paces around the room, contemplating how to rescue the Emperor and Empress. Allison, Charlotte and Justin enter, disrupting the moment)

ALLISON: Sire Walker, I hope my uncle is fine. I love him so much

CHARLOTTE: yeah, we haven't heard anything from the rivals. Why is that?

WALKER: well, for some reasons, they have achieved their goals... it would be very difficult to come to an agreement with them

JUSTIN: let's make a plan, sneak in, and rescue the Emperor and Empress

WALKER: Justin, you are handsome and charming, but not smart. Let us do the thinking, okay?

JUSTIN: I won't be offended because you are going through a lot at the moment

ALLISON: any plans to rescue them?

WALKER: yes... about that... Jax, Caleb. Where is the Empress?

(Jax and Caleb, guarding the door, enter)

JAX: sire?

WALKER: Aurora often visits, even though she doesn't believe us yet

CALEB: I wanted to ask the same question, sire

JAX: we will go check up on her

WALKER: that's very thoughtful of you. Thank you so much

(Jax and Caleb nod and make their way out)

ALLISON: your Empress is refusing to take the throne?

(They bursts out laughing mockingly at the fact that Aurora refuses the throne)

ALLISON: what a pathetic loser! For a moment, I thought she was cool

WALKER: the Empress is far better than all of you combined. Aurora's self esteem surpasses the need to come to the palace, flaunt herself, and seek fame, power and riches

CHARLOTTE: ouch... that was a little bit harsh and rude, sire

WALKER: Justin, get me Clark

JUSTIN: sire, I am not an errand boy; I am Justin Christopher

WALKER: and I am the guardian of this Empire, and since the Emperor is absent, I make the decisions. Get me Clark, now

JUSTIN: I'll do just that

(Justin rushes out, and Walker stares at Allison, smiling)

ALLISON: do not dare, sire

WALKER: enjoy your stay!

(Walker smiles at them before making his way out of the room. Allison breathes a sigh of relief)

ALLISON: for a moment, I thought he was going to reduce me to Clark's level

CHARLOTTE: oh my God, Allison, I got in. We are going to that Uni

ALLISON: yeah, I got the message yesterday

CHARLOTTE: and you weren't bothered to tell me?

ALLISON: it skipped my mind. Why don't we organize a welcome party for ourselves? We can tell everyone about ourselves

CHARLOTTE: I don't think it's a good idea, especially considering the fact that Sir Walker tends to dampen the mood

ALLISON: Ugh, you are right. You know what? I'll go explore the garden because I am dying of boredom

CHARLOTTE: let's go

(They exit)

EXT. OUTSIDE ANGELA'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON

(Angela stops a cab and forcefully pulls Aurora inside before rushing off to pack. Moments later, as she is about to leave, Jax and Caleb enter abruptly, halting the escape)

JAX: (stern) hold on, Angela?

(Angela freezes, realizing she's been caught)

ANGELA: (Defensive) what are you doing here? Why are you here?

CALEB: Jax, make sure she doesn't escape. I'll take the Empress out of the car

(Jax nods, maintaining a vigilant stance as Caleb moves towards the cab)

ANGELA: (defiant) you can't stop me

JAX: (resolute) we already did

(Exasperated, Angela throws their things in Jax's face and darts off)

JAX: (calling out) hey!

CALEB: (calm) no need to chase her, Jax. We have the Empress, and she is safe and alive

JAX: (resigned) alright then, let's go to the palace

(Jax and Caleb take the Empress home while Riley, Daphne, Andrew and Aaron make their way in, unaware that they just missed Aurora)

DAPHNE: (looking at suitcases) are these...?

RILEY: (disappointed) so, she left without saying goodbye after all

ANDREW: (trying to calm Riley) Riley, calm down! If they left, then why are their suitcases here?

AARON: (suggesting) maybe they don't need them

RILEY: (determined) no matter what, Andrew, Aurora owes us an explanation

(Riley storms out, leaving the rest behind in confusion)

DAPHNE: (confused) what must have happened here? Why are the clothes scattered? Were they being robbed?

AARON: (determined) a mystery we have to find out

ANDREW: (teasing) really, dude? Are you still into those movies?

DAPHNE: (resolute) let's go

AARON: (fee ling remorseful) Riley is ignoring me, and I apologized already

(They walk home, discussing the situation)

FADE OUT