Apples and Pomegranates
Summary: The strength of evil is as good as none when stands before four hearts as one. Take away one of those hearts and what happens? Good becomes history and evil achieves victory. Or Evie doesn't go to Auradon with the other VK's and finds herself at war with the son of Hades.
Pairing: Evie x Hayden (Chris Villain's version of Hades son).
(A/N) This was inspired by a review on my other story 'The Demigod's Deal' by the lovely Thunderfiredragon! If you've read the other story you'll notice a few things from it here but they're going to be greatly expanded on and this story will be completely different. It's a multi-chapter story, not sure how many chapters yet (I already have most of the next chapter typed up!) Hayden comes from Chris Villain's awesome music video 'Descendants 3 unofficial First Look - Make it Hot (Chris Villain).'
Tags/Warnings: #Dark #Stalkerish Behaviour #alternate universe where Evie doesn't leave the Isle #dreams #Takes place on the Isle of the Lost #enemies to lovers
Disclaimer: Descendants and Hayden aren't mine. Sadly ;A; (If they were Hayden would be in Descendants 3).
Someone was watching her.
While living in such a hostile environment as the Isle looking over your shoulder through reflections was second nature. You had to be exceptionally good - or be following someone exceptionally stupid - in order to get away with sneaking up on someone here. Evie was no fool, she always kept alert when she was out, especially when she was on her own. Letting your guard down was not an option, not unless you wanted to be robbed, beaten up or killed.
Evie hummed away to herself as she browsed the rotten choices on the apple stand, occasionally picking one of the apples up to inspect it before placing it back. Nothing about her demeanour let on that she knew she was being watched.
She kept an eye on her stalkers through brief glances at reflective objects on the stalls. There were two of them, a boy and a girl, both teenagers and dressed in dark shades of clothing. They were playing pretend at observing the goods on the stalls, giggling to one another and pointing at different things. Evie didn't buy their act for a minute. They were good, no doubt about it, but there was something about them that just seemed off and it wasn't something that they could control. There was an air about them, something strange that made them seem almost like outsiders. Evie would even go as far to say unnatural. A few other's seemed to notice it too, the older and more experienced of the villains giving the pair curious and wary looks as they passed them. It reminded Evie of a hive of bees passing silent judgment, trying to decipher whether or not the teenagers were apart of the hive or intruders.
"There she is!"
Evie glanced over her shoulder, a sincere smile slipping onto her face at the sight of Jay pushing his way through the crowded marketplace to get to her. Carlos was trailing behind him, grinning as Jay tossed a poor, flustered boy into a group of grizzly looking bandits. The trembling boy offered up his apologies to deaf ears before the gang chased him down the street for bumping into them and spilling their drinks.
"We've been looking all over for you," Jay said, giving her a chiding look.
"Well you obviously weren't looking hard enough," Evie replied dryly as she paid for a couple of apples. "You know I come to the market every Sunday. Now make yourself useful and take this."
Evie shoved her wicker basket of goods into Jay's arms, leaving the boy no room to argue. Carlos sniggered, swiping an extra apple when the shopkeeper wasn't paying attention. Evie snatched it off of him and took a bite out of it as they made their way down the street.
Now that she had backup, Evie blatantly looked over her shoulder to glare at her stalkers and let them know that the jig was up. Obviously, they had no idea who she was, and seeing her with Jay and Carlos, two fellow children of some of the most infamous villains on the Isle, would give them a hint and make it clear that she was off limits. Reputation was everything on the Isle, and you had to use it to your advantage. Children of lesser villains wouldn't dare attack children of the more formidable ones, not if they valued their own, as well as their parents, lives. Perhaps they didn't recognise who she was, but there was no way they could also be ignorant of who her friends were.
Her stalker duo were standing by the fruit stall she had just visited, no longer trying to conceal that they were watching her. They stood eerily still, their faces blank. And they weren't alone. There was a third person, someone she hadn't noticed trailing her. He was taller than the other two, standing between them, leaning against the stall with his arms crossed and face hidden behind a dark hood. Like the other two his clothes were dark in colour, but his were slightly more elaborate with spikes on the shoulders and cuffs of his leather jacket. Evie couldn't make out his face, but she could see just the glimmer of a smile on his thin lips. In his hand he held what looked like a pomegranate. He tossed it in the air before catching it and taking bite.
"-Earth to Evie! Did you hear me?" Jay drawled irritably.
Evie blinked, a little startled. "I wasn't listening, what did you say?"
Jay gave her a quizzical look and glanced behind them. "I asked you like three times what you were looking at?"
"Oh, right," Evie shook her head, tucking her waves of black hair behind her ear. "I was looking at those weirdos over-" Evie turned around to point the trio out, only to find them having vanished "-there."
"Who?" Carlos asked, scratching his head.
"Never mind, they're not important," Evie muttered, squinting her eyes as she searched the bustling crowds. Unable to spot them, she turned back around and followed Jay and Carlos back to town. "Anyway, care to tell me why you guys were looking for me? I thought we were meeting up later on tonight? You promised me a milkshake from Frollo's, don't think I forgot!"
Jay rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath about Evie's annoying memory.
Carlos nodded his head sympathetically, throwing an arm over Jay's shoulders. "Pretty sure you promised me one too."
"Like hell I did," Jay snapped, tossing Carlos aside. "And we're to meet Mal at her mom's place."
"My mom's there today," Evie said. "Said she was seeing Maleficent about something important."
"Funny, so is my mom," Carlo chimed in, a curious look on his face. "And Jay, didn't you say your pa was gonna be there too?"
Jay nodded and crossed his arms, a look of concern on his face that mirrored his friend's.
"All our parents in the one place and we're to go meet Mal there?" Evie muttered, biting her lip. Something didn't feel right, it couldn't be, not with all four of their parents trying to trick them into a villain, family conference. "Is anyone else getting that sense of-"
"Impending doom?" Carlos cut in with a wince.
"Yipe, I'm getting it too," Jay mumbled.
Despite knowing that nothing but trouble lay waiting for them at Bargain Castle, the three VK's had no choice but to go there. Mal had no doubt already been wrangled into it by Maleficent and it would be cruel of them to leave her on her own with Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar and Cruella for too long. That was a fate none of the teenagers would wish even on their worst enemy.
"You will go to Auradon, you will find the fairy godmother and you will bring me back her magic wand," Maleficent said as she lounged on her throne in Bargain Castle, nonchalantly filing her nails. "Easy peasy."
Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos stood before her, still at a loss to the news that they had been chosen, out of all the children on the Isle, to attend Auradon Prep. Villains leaving the Isle was unheard of, it was a chance many had ceased hoping for. Apparently, the soon to be King Ben, son of the current rulers of Auradon, had issued a decree that allowed a small selection of villain children to carry out their education away from the Isle.
Each of the VK's had responded to the news different. Mal was horrified and completely against it, she didn't want to attend a school with prissy, pink princesses and stuck up goodie toe shoes. Jay wasn't thrilled at the idea of uniforms and rules. Carlos was alarmed at the idea of attending a school that allowed dogs, convinced that they were rapid pack animals that would devour him at the first given chance.
Although she knew better than to show it, Evie was excited about the opportunity. Yes, Maleficent had made it very clear that they weren't going there for the education. Their parents were only allowing them this chance in order to get the magic wand so that they could use it to bring down the barrier and rain hell on the heroes. It was about freedom and revenge, nothing more.
But how could Evie's heart not swell at the chance to see the kingdom that glistened on the other side of the sea? She saw it every day from her castle tower, a kingdom of white bathed in the golden light of the sun that never reached the Isle through the ever-present thunderclouds. Her mother had told her stories of what that world was like, how everything was clean, bright and the opposite of everything on the Isle. Evie wanted to see it for herself, to see what a castle looked like in it's prim, to see the malls and all the different fashions, and maybe even find the prince of her dreams.
"-And if you don't go," Maleficent's stern voice brought Evie out of her daydreaming daze and over to an irritated Mal "-you're grounded for the rest of your life, missy."
"What?" Mal spluttered indignantly. "But that's not-"
Mal was quickly silenced by a snap of Maleficient's fingers and a glower of glowing green eyes. Never one to back down without a fight, Mal tried to stare her mother down but as always, she failed. Mal snarled in frustration, looking anywhere but at her smug, insufferable mother.
"Fine, whatever!" Mal muttered.
"I win," Maleficent smirked.
Evie gave Mal a pitying look. She knew what it was like to have such a domineering mother, her own mother could be difficult to deal with when she set her mind to something. It was either her way or the high way. The difference between Evie and Mal was Evie seldom fought her mother on anything. Why bother? She knew it was a fight she would never win. Her mother was a terrifying woman, even if Auradon's stripping of her power and authority made her appear tame and harmless. Evie knew better. It was an illusion, a dangerous illusion that you fell for at your own peril. Even powerless and without magic, her mother was not weak. Evie wasn't bold enough to challenge her mother like Mal - something Evie admired Mal greatly for.
"Evie," the Evil Queen sung sweetly. Evie hurried over to her mother, sitting down before her and taking her hands in her own. "Well, my little Evilet in Training, we best get you back to the castle so we can start packing your-"
"Um, no!" Maleficent cut off the Evil Queen. "Evie's not going."
The smile on the Evil Queen's face dropped, her eyes narrowing at Maleficent. All the motherly sweetness in her voice evaporated, replaced by sharp, harsh ice. Everyone in the room flinched, all but Maleficient. "I beg you're pardon? What do you mean 'Evie's not going?' Of course, she is!"
Maleficent didn't look at all bothered by Queen's outburst, if anything she looked bored. With a dramatic sigh, Maleficent walked over to the Evil Queen and handed her the invitation letter. The Evil Queen snatched it from the other women's hands before quickly reading over the calligraphy writing.
"Mom?" Evie whispered, her heart dropping at the look on her mother's face.
The Evil Queen clutched the paper tightly in her hands, her face scrunching up in fury. She looked utterly furious, her cheeks turning red.
"Only my Mal, Jay and Carlos have been invited to Auaradon," Maleficent explained, giving Evie a sympathetic smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. "So no, honey, you won't be going."
Evie flinched, her eyes falling to the floor. Of course, she wasn't getting off the Isle. How could she have thought otherwise, for even a moment? Evie couldn't bring herself to look at her mother, she could feel her lividness from here. What must she be thinking, that Maleficient, Jafar and Cruella's children got chosen over hers? Evie felt like an utter disappointment.
"You won't be missing much anyway, Evie," Mal came up behind her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Trust me. It'll be beyond boring there."
Jay scoffed, crossing his arms as he leant against the table. "Yipe. If anything you're the lucky one in this, E. You don't have to wear cringy uniforms, obey any rules or attend 'how to be nice 101 classes.'"
"Is that an actual class?" Carlos cringed.
Jay shrugged. "I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me though."
"Besides, Evie, we need you here to keep up the fort!" Mal continued. "Well we're gone make sure none of these low lives out there try and steal our territory."
"Oh, please, Mal," Maleficent scoffed, disappointment on her face. "None of that will matter once I'm ruling the world."
The Evil Queen cleared her throat loudly, rapping her kunckles off the table.
"We!" Maleficent replied quickly, not sounding sincere at all, "I meant we. None of that will matter once we are ruling the world. You're silly little squabbling over the Isle is you thinking far too small, Pumpkin. It's all about world domination. Evil Queen, Jafar, Cruella, come with me, we have much to plan!"
The VK's watched as their parents left the room. Once they were gone they all let out a collective breath, like their parent's absence suddenly allowed them to breath easy. Mal sighed, shaking her head.
"Ignore her, just make sure-"
"That no one steals our territory," Evie finished for Mal, a tight smile on her face. "Got it. I'm guessing this is a backup, just in case you guys don't pull it off."
"Better safe than sorry," Mal said with a shrug. "I'm sure we can pull it off."
"Even though it's something that our very scary and all-powerful parents weren't able to do with all their magic, armies and experience," Carlos chipped in with a hint of despair.
"Ever the optimist," Mal said, rolling her eyes.
Jay winced, looking less and less optimistic about their chances of success. "We're dead, aren't we?"
"So dead," Mal laughed mirthlessly before her face turned serious, her eyes glowing green with determination. "If we fail. Which we won't. Cause we're rotten-"
"-to the core," the rest of the VK's chimed in.
"The nerve of them! The absolute nerve!"
Evie winced as she listened to her mother fume about the turn in events. Mal, Jay and Carlos had already departed for Auradon, leaving Evie behind on her own. The Evil Queen had excused herself and her daughter from Bargain Castle for the evening, making an excuse that they had dinner plans for the evening. Truthfully, the Evil Queen just wanted to let loose her pent-up rage.
"My daughter overlooked for those peasant miscreants? Who does this Prince Ben think he is?" The Evil Queen hissed. "When I take over he's the first to go!"
"Mom, lower your voice," Evie whispered, glancing around. It was still fairly busy on the streets despite the late hour, who knows what ears could be listening in on them? "There are still people around."
"True," The Evil Queen muttered bitterly. "Oh, Evie, my dear. How low we have fallen. But don't you worry. Your chance will come and we'll show everyone who doubted us who the true evil Queen - and princess - of this world is."
The Evil Queen took her daughter's hand and squeezed it. They walked in silence for a while, arm in arm, making their way to the eastern side of town where they could do some late night shopping for food.
The night market was one of Evie's favourite places on the Isle. The narrow streets were filled with stalls, much like they were in the morning, but now they were alight with lanterns of all shades, that were strung across the buildings and around the stalls frames. Inside the lanterns, fluttering around wildly for an escape, were tiny fireflies, about seven or eight in each one. The lighting made the place feel cosier than it did in the day, and with how dark it was it was harder to see the dirt and grime of the streets and buildings. There was almost an enchanting feel to the place.
Evie plopped herself down by a dried up fountain, waiting for her mother to grab the last of the ingredients for their supper tonight. While she was waiting, a young girl skipped over to her.
"Hi, there," Evie said, smiling at the girl.
The girl was about eight or nine, with rosy cheeks and her blonde hair pulled back into pigtails. Her clothes were ragged and dirty, much like most of the children on the Isle.
"What's your name?" Evie asked.
The girl chose to ignore her question, instead, she pulled out a beautiful, white lily from behind her back. Evie blinked, never having seen such a lovely flower. The prettier plants never grew on the Isle, they couldn't, not with the poor quality of the soil and lack of sunshine. Even if they could grow here some villains despised anything remotely good or pretty looking and would destroy them on sight.
"This is for you," the girl said quietly, holding the flower out for her to take.
"For me?" Evie asked, a genuine smile breaking out onto her face. She took the flower, gingerly bringing it up to her nose to smell. "Thank you."
" I was told to give it to you, Miss," the girl replied, smiling coyly.
"Oh, by who?" Evie asked absentmindedly, still rather taken by the flower and its sweet fragrance.
"The prince!"
That comment drew Evie's attention away from the flower. She quirked an eyebrow at the girl, looking at her curiously and a little confused. "The Prince? What prince are you-"
"Evie! Come along, my dear! It's time to go!" the Evil Queen's voice rung out over the chattering crowds.
Evie glanced through the bustling flocks of villains, noticing her mother by one of the stalls, waving for her to come.
"I'm coming! Just a second!" Evie shouted before turning back to look at the girl. "What prince are you... talking... about." Evie's voice trailed off when she noticed that the little girl had vanished. Evie rose to her feet, scanning the area for any signs of her.
What is it with people and vanishing of late? Evie thought irritably.
"Evie! I said it's time to go!" the Evil Queen shouted over to her, quickly losing patience.
Evie bit her lip, muttering a curse under her breath. With a sigh, she gave up and hurried over to her mother who linked arms with her and began pulling her away. Just as they were leaving, Evie glanced over her shoulder one last time in hopes of seeing the mysterious girl.
Evie frowned when, through the waves of crowds, she saw someone sitting where she had just been seated by the fountain. It was the boy from earlier today, the one with the leather hoody with spikes on his shoulders and cuffs. She couldn't be sure due to his hood covering his face, but she could have sworn he was staring right at her. Momentarily, he was hidden behind a group of people and once they moved he was gone. Just like he had done earlier with her stalker duo, just like the little girl.
Evie blinked, feeling unsettled by the whole encounter.
Her fingers tightened on the lily.
That night Evie dreamed.
For most people that was a normal thing to do, to dream. But not here, not on the Isle. There was some magic in place that prevented it, another way in which the heroes punished the villains for their crimes. Dreams were too peasant, too much of an escape, for the inhabitants of the Isle to be allowed them.
Yet despite the magic in place to prevent her from doing so, Evie dreamed. She only ever had two dreams, both as different as night and day. Tonight, she dreamed of sunshine and crystal clear waters. In the dream she had escaped the Isle and was now standing on the shore, the cold waters skimming her toes and the breeze fluttering her hair and clothes. She was dressed in a billowy, summer dress, as white as daisy petals. Her long, black hair fell above her in waves and had lillies weaved into it. The outfit she was wearing wasn't one she would have ever have picked out for herself and reminded her vaguely of the outfits people would have worn in Ancient Greece.
"You look rather lost today, Evie."
Evie turned away from the ocean and looked inland. The moment she did she was no longer standing by the shore but in a field of white flowers with a few bluebells speckled in. The endless fields of flowers swayed under the sweet breeze, tickling Evie's ankles as she stood there.
She was not alone.
Someone was standing a few feet away from her, the glaringly bright light from the sun blocking them from view. The person was always there in her dreams, whether she dreamed of the ocean, fields and coldness or the darkness, caverns and unbearable heat.
"Hello," Evie addressed the shadowy figure. "I haven't seen you in a while. I don't think."
The last few weeks no dreams had come to her. Evie had begun to fear that she had lost her talent for it. Even though one of the dreams filled her with dread and doom, this one, of sunshine and light, made enduring the darker one worth it. And now that she was in the dream she could remember things, things she had forgotten about them when she woke, that she would forget again when the dream ended. She would have missed this person, this person who only appeared to her in dreams. No matter the dream he was always there with her.
"Did you miss me?" the figure asked, tilting his head.
"I can't say. I can never remember you when I wake up," Evie mumbled, lifting a hand to her head. "Maybe."
Evie lowered herself onto the grass, sitting among the flowers. She plucked a daisy and began pulling the petals off. The figure moved to sit beside her and finally she could see him clearly. He was about her age, maybe a little older, and had a sharp, icy beauty to him. His hair was a shocking, neon blue colour, with hints of darker blue throughout it. It was a stark contrast to his amber eyes that were so bright they almost seemed to glow.
"What's got you so blue today?" the boy asked as he lay down on the ground, his arms resting behind his head like a pillow.
"I'll answer your question if you answer mine," Evie smiled slyly, turning to look down at him.
"Oh? And what question would that be, Evie?" the boy asked, a knowing smile on his face.
"What's your name?"
It was a question she had asked him for years, and every time she asked he would divert the topic or dodge the question. She had no name for this boy and he would not give her one no matter what tricks she used. She had tried everything, from deceit, trickery, flattery to flirting. Nothing worked. Odd considering this was her dream, surely everything here bent to her whim? Yet nothing ever did.
"Ah, ah, Evie, you should know better by now," the boy lightly scolded, quirking an eyebrow at her. "My lips are sealed."
"Why? Why could you possibly not give me your name?" Evie huffed, blowing a strand of hair from her face. "I bet it's an embarrassing name and that's why you won't say."
"Possibly," the boy shrugged.
Evie pursed her lip and leaned over him, placing one hand by his head to keep her balance. The boy's eyelid's fluttered open as her shadow fell over him. He had a small smile on his face, one that always seemed to be present.
"Then I'll possibly start ignoring you until you tell me," Evie threatened sweetly as she stared down at him, her hair falling down to curtain around their faces.
"And deny me the sound of your voice? That's just cruel," the boy mused, eyes twinkling cheekily at the blush his words brought to Evie's cheeks. "Then again, maybe it's a blessing."
Evie narrowed her eyes and punched the boy in the shoulder, earning her a giddy laugh from him for her efforts. With a roll of her eyes, she went to pull away but the boy was having none of it. Quick as a snake, his arms slithered around her waist and pulled her down on top of him. With a skilful roll, Evie found herself on her back, staring up at the boy above her, his elbows at either side of her head propping him up.
"I think I like this view of you too," he murmured.
Evie scowled at him, unimpressed by his usual antics. "You're avoiding my question. Again!"
"You avoided mine first," the playfulness in his voice died down when he spoke again. "What's wrong, Evie? You know you can tell me."
Of course, she could tell him, he was only a dream. A figment of her imagination. She guessed this was her minds peculiar way of helping her deal with difficult issues in her life. It wasn't like she had anyone to talk to. She may have had the VK's but opening up and talking about feelings wasn't their thing.
Besides, you couldn't reveal your feelings to anyone on the Isle, it was dangerous, even if it was to your close friends and allies. Feelings were something that could be exploited, opening yourself up to another villain left you open to that threat. Even though they were all friends now, the VK's parents constantly reminded them that it wouldn't always be that way. Friends could become enemies in a heartbeat, and even if it didn't happen while they were on the Isle, their parents assured them in secret that it would happen once they finally brought down the barrier. It would be every villain for themselves, a mad scramble to claim the throne of the world and all the powers that came with it. Any weakness that had been shared through fickle things like friendships during their time on the Isle would be used against them, with no regret.
On the Isle friendships were temporary, that was what her mother told her. It was a lesson so ingrained in her head that even though she didn't truly believe it, and did care greatly for her friends, Evie struggled to open up to them - just as they did with her and each other. That was the cost of friendships on the Isle of the Lost, you could never fully open up to each other.
"My friends got invited to Auradon today and I didn't," Evie whispered. She hated the way her voice cracked as she spoke. "Guess I wasn't good enough to go."
"So they just left you there to rot?"
Evie blinked at the dark expression on the boy's face. His brow was furrowed and eyes narrowed, his lips twisted into a frown.
"No," Evie said quickly, shaking her head. "They'll come back for me. Whether they win or fail. But they won't fail. They'll get Fairy Godmother's magic wand and free everyone from here. I'm just a little disappointed that I'm missing out on all the fun. Now I'm stuck on territory guard duty."
"How do you know they'll come back for you?"
"They will."
"But how do you know?" the boy challenged, none of his usual playfulness in his voice. "How do you know they won't decide to stay there, without you?"
"They wouldn't," Evie scoffed at the idea.
"They might, Evie," the boy continued to push, staring down at her intensely. "They're villains, it's what they do. They might see the life Auradon has to offer and decide they much prefer it to this one. And who's to stop them? Their parents won't be there to. They'll get to live in paradise while you battle it out with the rest of the villains over petty little patches of land that you have no real control over."
Evie glared at the boy, furious at his accusations. The VK's wouldn't betray her, they were friends and despite everything that their parents told them she knew it meant something. They always stuck together, the rotten four no matter what. With an irritable groan, Evie shoved the boy off her and got to her feet before stomping away through the field.
"Where are you going?"
"Away from you, isn't it obvious?" Evie snapped.
Suddenly, the boy appeared in front of her. He gently grabbed her shoulders, stopping her from moving away. "I didn't mean to upset you, Evie. I was just telling you the truth. You know it's true."
"It isn't!" Evie hissed, clenching her fists at her side.
"I'm trying to protect you," the boy stressed each word, squeezing her shoulders to emphasise his point. "Do you realise how much danger you're in if they do turn their backs on evil? You're a VK, just like them. If they turn, people might turn on you."
Evie opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. Everything was blurring at the edges and her head was becoming lighter. She was waking up.
"Be careful, Evie."
Those were the last words she heard before she woke up, and just before she did, she swore she felt the faint sensation of lips against her forehead. But as always, once her eyes opened and the dreamed ended, she forgot the boy and what he had said.
(A/N) Please let me know what you think! I love reading everyone's comments and thoughts on my stories. xx
p.s to readers of my hevie stories I'm still working on them! Sorry for the long wait!
