Night fell over the city of Auradon quickly, as though someone had pulled a black blanket covered with little jewels over the blue sky, throwing the city in darkness. Street lamps stood like little lighthouses on the streets, guiding stragglers back to their homes where it was warm, safe and sheltered. The lights inside the houses made the city look like a thousand lanterns had been lit up and lifted into the sky, where they hovered and watched over the citizens. In Castle Beast, lamps were slowly being turned off by servants who finished duties for the evening. Footsteps echoed in the halls and whispered voices could be heard.
The young princess was sat down in her reading chair, a book on her lap as she tried to sit still long enough to enjoy her book. She'd felt restless all day, unable to concentrate enough to do anything. She'd tried everything she could think of to get some energy out. Dancing, kicking a ball about with her sister, horse-back riding, singing, even doing some extra homework! But nothing worked. She still felt restless and couldn't sit still. She eventually gave up on reading and put her book away, groaning at herself in annoyance as she slammed her hands on the footrest of her bed.
Maesi looked at her clock again, for the umpteenth time that night. It was past midnight, long after she should have been asleep. She'd tried to get some sleep earlier that night but to no avail. Maesi began pacing her room, wishing for something to occupy for longer than five minutes, when she heard the door opening across from hers and footsteps receding. Her parents must have finally gotten home, having left for an urgent meeting just before dinner time.
A few minutes later, she heard their door open, then close again, followed by her father's sigh, which was clearly a sigh of a man who carried a great burden and felt defeated. Maesi listened as Ben's heavy footsteps disappeared down the hall, meaning he had most likely gone to stay elsewhere. With nothing else to do and with her concern for her parents, Maesi left her room and ventured down the hall, hoping to find her father soon.
As she passed by his office, she noticed light coming from underneath the doorway. She softly walked up to the door and pushed it open slowly to see Ben stood behind his desk, tiredly sorting through some papers. He looked up as his daughter walked in.
"Oh, hey baby girl," he greeted, "Shouldn't you be asleep?"
Maesi shrugged, "I couldn't. I've been feeling restless all day."
Ben put down the papers in his hands and gestured to the sofa underneath his coronation portrait. Maesi sat down and was joined by her father a second later.
"Want to talk about it?" he asked, concerned.
Maesi shook her head, "It's probably nothing. Most likely just a magic itch or something. Mum said that it would happen to me sometimes."
Ben nodded in understanding, "Well, your mother is usually right."
Maesi hummed agreement before the two of them lapsed into silence. Finally, Maesi spoke what was really on her mind when she had entered the office.
"Are you and Mum fighting?" Maesi asked.
Ben looked at her in shock and confusion, "No, of course not. What in goodness name made you think that?"
Maesi shrugged, "Mum never lets you work this late and she never lets you work alone. And don't tell me you snuck out. Mum's a light sleeper and you're a bad liar."
Ben chuckled at his daughter's cleverness – definitely something she inherited from Mal – before shaking his head.
"We're not fighting," he reassured her, "Your mum just wanted some space, so I figured I'd do some work and sleep in one of the guest rooms tonight."
Maesi sighed, "Well, maybe you should go now. You're going to end up falling asleep in your office and then Mum will really be mad at you."
Ben smiled at his fourteen-year-old daughter, knowing she was right.
"Okay, I will. So long as you go to bed too," he said.
Maesi nodded in agreement and the two stood up, leaving the office and each heading their own way, Ben to a guest room and Maesi to the family wing where all the bedrooms that belonged to the royal family could be found.
As she passed her parents room on her way to her own, Maesi heard sniffing coming from inside. Frowning, Maesi gently opened the door to see her mother lying in bed, her back facing the door. Maesi heard another sniff before Mal spoke up.
"Ben, I thought I told you to give me some space."
"Actually," Maesi replied, "It's me."
Mal sat up and looked over at her youngest daughter. "Mae! Sorry, I thought you were your father," Mal explained, wiping her face and taking deeper-than-usual breaths, obviously trying to regain some composure.
Maesi shut the door behind her and went to sit next to her mother on the bed.
"Mum, what's wrong? Are you mad at Dad?"
Mal shook her head, "No, of course not."
"Then why is he sleeping in a guest room tonight?" Maesi questioned.
Mal sighed gently, "Something happened today, something that upset me quite a lot and I've always felt that it's easier to deal with things alone."
"Is it?" Maesi asked.
Mal shook her head, "No. But if I've had some time to process on my own, I then find it easier to talk to your father."
Maesi nodded in understanding and shifted closer to her mum, cuddling up to her. "I guess that makes sense."
"What are you doing up anyway?" Mal asked as she wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders.
Maesi shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. Been feeling restless all day."
"Magic itch?" Mal asked, knowing how her daughter felt.
Maesi nodded, "Yeah."
"I know something that may help," Mal said, getting up. She pulled a small, round box out of her vanity desk's drawer and brought it over to Maesi. "Watch this." Mal opened the box and sparkly purple powder came flying out.
Mal pointed a finger at the dust that had gathered in the air. "Magical dust of sparkling flight, turn into creatures so fair and light." The dust began to move and out of the dust came shimmering rabbits, deer, swans, horses, dogs, cats, you name it! Maesi stared in child-like-wonder as the animals, which seemed to be made of glitter, danced around the room in beautiful harmony, each as elegant as the last.
"Shimmering creatures of magic and light, return to me and end your flight," Mal chanted softly. The creatures dissolved into dust again before flying back into the small box. Once it was all collected, Mal shut the box gently.
"Wow," Maesi said in awe.
Mal smiled, "You used to love that when you were small." She handed the box to Maesi. "It's a good way to get rid of the magic itch. A simple, small, harmless spell."
Maesi took the box and thanked her mum. Mal went back to her side of the bed and lay down, Maesi cuddling up next to her.
"Can I stay here tonight?" Mal nodded, which made Maesi smile and close her eyes. Whilst Mal may have put the request down to exhaustion or wanting her mother's comfort as she often did after chats about magic, the real reason Maesi wanted to stay was that she didn't want her mum to sleep alone.
Later that night, Ben snuck into his room, expecting to find Mal alone and fast asleep.
Whenever Mal needed space, Ben always made sure to give her some but he also always made sure she didn't wake up alone. He would wait in his office doing some work or in a guest room or the library with a book until a time where he was sure she was asleep. He would then go back to his bedroom and crawl into bed next to his wife. But, as Maesi had pointed out earlier, Mal was a light sleeper and would always wake up when he weight dipped the bed slightly. When she felt his presence next to her, she would smile and wait for him to wrap his arms around her, which is when she would grab his hand and squeeze it, letting him know that she was awake and grateful he was there. They would then go to sleep and talk in the morning.
Tonight, however, when Ben slipped into his room, he saw that Maesi was asleep in his bed next to Mal. This made him smile and lightly shake his head. He turned to leave in order to go back to the guest room for the night when Mal's head popped up. He clearly wasn't as quiet entering as he'd hoped.
"Don't go," she whispered.
Ben obeyed and went to the wardrobe, pulling out the spare blanket that was usually used on the cold winter nights before going over to Mal's side of the bed and laying down on the carpeted floor. Mal passed him a pillow before lying down and reaching out her hand to him, which he took and kissed gently on the knuckles. He then settled down, still holding Mal's hand and the two of them drifted off to sleep, their youngest daughter snoring quietly as she curled up to her mother.
Hey guys. Another oneshot of mine. Maesi belongs to Eli201, who's OCs (Maesi and another OC of hers) you can see in my book 'Send me your OCs', so if you want to find out more about Maesi, that's the place to go.
Love you guys!
SparkyGurl