10 Years Ago Winter
Rayna POV- Rayna was deep in the woods on one of the coldest days this winter when she heard it. A soft cry for help coming from the river.
Unable to let the cry be unanswered, Rayna ran as fast as her 5 year old legs would carry her. Knowing these woods like the back of her hand, she knew when to duck, weave, or jump in order to get to the river as fast as possible.
Just as she reached the river, she saw a boy probably no older than herself trying to fight the current that pulled him farther into the raging waters.
"Someone help me!" the boy cried out.
Without a second thought, Rayna took a running start and leapt into the river just as she saw the boy's blond hair disappear under the water. Being the strong swimmer that she was, Rayna quickly made her way to where she saw the boy go under.
She knew if he didn't surface soon, he'd drown and if he didn't get out of the water soon, he'd freeze. With the time running out, Rayna took a deep breath and dove beneath the water, opening her eyes looking for the flash of blond hair in the dark water.
Just as she was about to surface for more air, she felt the bump of warm flesh against her hand. She grabbed on tight with both hands and kicked hard for the surface. Rayna fought against the current, swimming diagonal to shore pulling the boy with her.
At the shore, palace guards were standing around, looking frantic. Normally, Rayna preferred to avoid the palace guards but today she needed their help.
"Here!" Rayna called out.
"Quickly give him to me" one of the guards said, reaching in to grab the boy once she was close to shore.
"You saved him, you save Prince Ben. Thank you. Thank you" another older guard said, helping her out of the water.
"Anytime" Rayna said, her voice slurred and her teeth chattered.
"Come, come you must get dry and warm. Quickly now."
Rayna tried to turn away from the guard as he reached for her, but she stumbled and didn't have the strength to get up. The guard picked her up and had her wrapped in a blanket and in the back of the carriage with Ben in what felt like the blink of an eye.
In the next blink, Rayna awoke to find herself in a huge plush room all toasty warm in a huge bed with a large heavy comforter and silky sheets. She was in the palace. Before she could decide how to sneak out, the boy she rescued, Prince Ben, came into the room.
"You're awake! You saved my life!" Ben said, running over jumping on the bed and hugging Rayna.
"Um yeah I did" Rayna said, uncomfortable.
No one ever really touched her, let alone hug her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Rayna finally hugged him back.
"I'm Ben" he said, sitting back smiling.
"I'm Rayna."
When he smiled, Rayna found herself smiling with him.
"How'd you get in the river anyway?" Rayna asked.
"…I was playing outside with the guards. I ran to hide and when I looked behind me to see if they were following, I fell down a hill and into the water" Ben said shamefully.
"Well don't worry, I got your back" Rayna said, touching his shoulder to cheer him up.
A woman cleared her throat from the doorway.
"There you are, young man" she said.
"Uh-oh. Hi mom" Ben said.
"You're supposed to be in bed resting" Queen Belle said.
"I'll see you later, then we can hang out" Ben said to Rayna, smiling before he slowly walked out the door past his mother.
Sadly, Rayna knew she wouldn't be around later. Then Belle walked into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed as Rayna watched Ben leave.
"He's taken a liking to you" she said.
"I guess… your majesty" Rayna said.
"Thank you for saving him."
"You're welcome."
"What's your name?"
"Rayna, your majesty."
"And your parents? And please call me Belle."
"My mother is…was Red Riding Hood your maj…Belle."
"Ah I see" Belle said, getting off the bed taking a step back toward the door.
"How…how would you like to stay here?" Belle asked, despite the look of uncertainty and indecision in her eyes.
"What?" Rayna asked confused.
"You said you had my son's back. Did you mean that?"
"Of course."
"Then I have a job only for you. Be his bodyguard; personal bodyguard. Until you decide to leave, I ask you to protect him. You would have power, money, privileges others don't, everything. What do you say?"
"Yes!" Rayna agreed happily.
Ever since her mother died in the summer, she has needed purpose and this was it.
"Then welcome to your new home. Get some rest" Belle said, walking out and closing the door.
Present Day
That seemed like only yesterday as Rayna now stood in her red and black leather outfit, arguing with her best friend for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Ben for the hundredth time, this is a bad idea" Rayna said, walking around the room, looking out the windows.
"They deserve a chance. Just like you did" Ben said.
"That's different. I'm different. This is a huge security risk" Rayna explained.
"Too big for the great Lady Rayna to keep safe?" Ben asked, poking at her ego and pride.
Sadly, it worked too. There was no battle, no security risk Rayna failed to win or overcome. She was the ultimate protector and the ultimate weapon. Rayna curled her upper lip back in frustrated anger.
"Fine. But I need their schedules, their room numbers, everything" she said.
"It's already in your room" Ben said smiling.
Rayna turned to go.
"Wait! They're almost here. We have to go greet them" Ben said.
Rayna sighed, then she and Ben went downstairs and outside to meet the villain kids that were showing up any minute. Rayna stood bored to death just as the band started to play when the limo pulled around the corner.
Show time, as in literally putting on a show for them. However once the car stopped, two boys stumbled out fighting over something.
"Ow stop! You got everything else! Why do you want whatever this is?" the boy on the ground yelled.
Having briefly looked at their profiles Ben had given her the day before when he dropped the security risk bomb, Rayna knew the boy on the ground was Carlos Cruella de Vil's son. She also knew that the boy above him was Jay son of Jafar.
"Cause you want it!" Jay replied.
The last two out of the limo were the Evil Queen's daughter, Evie, and the worst one, Maleficent's daughter, Mal.
"No! Give it to me! Ow! Let go!" Carlos yelled.
"Guys, guys, guys!" Evie tried to stop their fighting.
"We have an audience" Mal said.
Rayna followed behind Ben to his right and his horrid girlfriend, Audrey, was on his left and in front led Fairy Godmother.
"Just cleaning up" Jay said, smiling at them.
"Get up" he said to Carlos before yanking him off the ground.
"Leave it like you found it. And by that I mean just leave it" Fairy Godmother said.
So Jay tossed a ton of things back into the limo including what he and Carlos were fighting over. Carlos' mouth was covered in chocolate and he had no right to look adorable and cute but that's exactly how Rayna saw him.
It took her completely by surprise. In all of her 15 years, never had she looked at any boy and thought they were cute and attractive. She was a warrior, a protector; she didn't have time or need to be attracted to boys. With that in mind, she was determined to not let him get to her.
"Hello, foxy. The names Jay" Jay said, giving Rayna a flirtatious smile.
"Please. I'd chew you up and spit you out faster than you can say 'magic lamp'" Rayna told him with a straight face.
This earned her a chuckle from Ben, a shocked stunned look from Jay and a full out laugh from Carlos. Horrified, Rayna liked the sound of Carlos' laugh. What was wrong with her?
Quickly, she went back into her cold stare guard look, no emotion showing as she sized up the others, looking for weaknesses just in case.
"Welcome to Auradon prep. I'm Fairy Godmother Head Mistress."
"The Fairy Godmother? As in bibbidi-bobbidi- boo?" Mal asked.
"Bibbidi-bobbidi you know it" Fairy Godmother told her.
"Yeah I always wondered what it felt like to Cinderella when you just appeared out of nowhere with that sparkly wand and warm smile…and that sparkling wand" Mal said smiling.
"That was a long time ago. And as I always say 'don't focus on the past or you'll miss the future'" Fairy Godmother said, waving her hands in front of her face.
Rayna rolled her eyes, Fairy Godmother always did know how to put on a show… and over act it.
"It's so good to finally meet you all. I'm Ben and…" Ben said stepping forward.
"Prince Benjamin, soon to be king" Audrey interrupted also stepping forward.
"You had me at Prince. My mom's a queen which makes me a princess" Evie said, stepping forward to shake Ben's hand.
"The Evil Queen has no royal status here and neither do you" Audrey said with a smile.
Evie looked hurt as she took a step back and not for the first time Rayna wished she could tell Audrey to shut up.
"This is Audrey…" Ben said.
"Princess Audrey. His girlfriend. Right Bennyboo?" Audrey interrupted again holding Ben's hand.
Rayna gagged slightly at her pet name for Ben.
"What was that…guard?" Audrey asked, glaring back at Rayna.
Rayna forced a smile for Audrey and pretended to cough. She turned forward again and caught Carlos smiling at her.
"This is Lady Rayna, my best friend" Ben said proudly.
"And his body guard" Audrey added smiling.
Rayna gave a real smile to the villain kids but hesitated when her eyes caught Carlos'.
"Ben and Audrey are going to show you around and I'll see you tomorrow. The doors of wisdom are never shut. But the library hours are from 8 to 11. And as you may have heard I have a little thing about curfews" Fairy Godmother said, pushing apart Ben and Audrey's hand holding.
With that dismissal, Rayna caught Ben's eye and nodded. When he nodded back she turned on her heel and left.
She headed back to her room to go over the class schedules, room plans and the profiles provided to her for the villain kids. Nobody would hurt Ben on her watch. She would always have his back.