Too many villain kids. King Ben had proposed that way too many villain kids were to come over and live in Auradon. Least, that's the conclusion his royal council had come to.
King Ben and his royal council sat at a long conference table, covered in plates of pastries, pitchers of various teas, and fancy folded golden napkins customized for each member of the council.
King Ben sat at the head of the long conference table in an ornate throne much fancier than all the rest of the chairs surrounding the table. There's a crest of a beast on his chair, a symbol from the king that came before him, a symbol of his family's curse, and of what his family had to suffer through in order to get their happily ever after.
Now, the royal council had pretty much stated that villain kids will never have a chance at happily ever after. That Ben had sent out empty promises to all vk's that night of the cotillion. No, they still hadn't officially voted, so Ben still had a chance to convince them. To let them see that they should right the wrongs the children of the Isle had to go through because of his dad's bad decisions. Because of this council's bad decisions.
Yen Sid, who lived on the Isle and was at today's meeting as an expert and representative of the Isle, wondered if Auradon had enough resources to handle that many vk's coming over. He pointed out that on the Isle there are only two schools. Dragon Hall which schooled all ages and it's alternative, a boarding school called Serpents Prep which only accepted high school aged children.
The amount of students in both schools combined was way more than the amount of students in Auradon Prep which in actuality only catered to royal and royal affiliated children. Most non-royal kids in Auradon City went to Auradon City high school where everyone felt welcomed. Or so Yen Sid's newest apprentice told the old sorcerer.
Ben had never realized that the average Auradon citizen's children didn't feel welcomed enough to go to Auradon Prep. He knew of the other schools but he never knew that most Auradon citizens saw Auradon prep for the elite only.
Ben thought on Yen Sid's words and suggested that Auradon Prep build more dorms, hire more teachers, make more classes for villain kids, and set up a scholarship fund for average Auradon citizens so that everyone could get a chance to come to Auradon Prep.
King Phillip, husband of Aurora Rose, and father of Ben's ex-girlfriend, Audrey decided to weigh in on the discussion. He argued that Auradon citizens were being forced to fit the bill for the VK's whose parents destroyed many of their lives. It wasn't fair of Ben to make the victim's of their parent's crimes pay for this. He then suggested that Ben should use his own money to provide for the vk's. As it was Ben's idea. As it was Ben's desire to see vk's free of the Isle of the lost.
Ben pointed out that villain kids are not their parents. That they haven't yet caused anyone harm. Someone brought up the incident that happened at cotillion. Spoke of the daughter of Ursula who almost capsized the royal yacht with hundreds of royal elite.
"Uma was angry, rightfully so. As their king, I've failed her and so many other vk's." Ben then looked at all the members of the council with pleading eyes. "The longer we leave them on the Isle lost and forgotten. The more anger they'll feel. We have a chance to give them a better life and show them choosing good is the right choice? Shouldn't we give them that chance?"
No one looked moved by Ben's words. In fact, the sound of angry laughter soon filled Ben's ears. Ben's eyes meet the source of the sound. There Esmeralda looked at him with anger in her eyes.
"Lost and forgotten? What of the outcasts of your own kingdom?" Esmeralda said, leaning forward in her chair.
Outcasts? Ben couldn't even imagine Auradon having outcasts. His parent's reign over Auradon had preached acceptance and tolerance to their people all while othering the VK's and making them suffer for their parent's crimes. But they did well by this country. Did good by these people. Didn't they?
Ben wanted to learn more about the people who felt like outcasts in his kingdom. About the other group of people who feel lost and forgotten by their King. He asked Esmeralda to elaborate and tell him more about the people who felt like outcasts in his kingdom. But before she could answer, she's rudely cut off by another member of the royal council who announced to everyone in the room that's it's time for the council to vote on Ben's proposal.
Ben was now out of chances. Ben leaned back in his throne, not even realizing he was literally on the edge of his seat this whole time. He gripped the arms of his throne as he looked around the table searching for anyone who might be on the verge of being swayed. But no one was.
Their minds were clearly made up. It was obvious that they weren't going to let more vk's come to Auradon. But Ben had already sent out so many letters telling VK's they were invited to come to Auradon Prep. Had already filled so many vk's hearts full of hope. Now, he was going to disappoint them all.
Ben stood up from his throne and then begged for the council to at least consider his proposal. To not make a decision without weighing all the options. The room stays silent. They all look at him as if they're waiting for him to leave. As if they're tired of hearing his words.
Ben accepts defeat and with a respectful nod left the conference room.
Someone followed after Ben. Ben doesn't even need to look behind him to know that it's his royal advisor and head of his royal household, Lumiere.
Concern is etched on Lumiere's face and his eyes hold a warm glow reminiscent to a burning candle. He offered Ben praise for his speech and told Ben that there's no way the royal council won't be moved.
"I wish you were allowed to vote," Ben said to Lumiere with a frown.
"You are a good king," Lumiere said. "They will hear you."
"But what if the problem is that I'm not hearing them?" Ben wondered aloud to Lumiere. "They made a lot of arguments that I couldn't counter. That I couldn't even understand."
Ben couldn't believe there were people in his kingdom that felt forgotten by him. Felt like he didn't care. Ben dreamt to be a king for all. He cared so much about his people and did want to do right by them. So for anyone to be forgotten and in his own kingdom...
Ben sighed. There were so many wrongs Ben had to make right. So many people who needed to be heard. Ben wanted to be a great king. One that was known for doing all that he can. But trying to be a great king could be so overwhelming. Because no matter how many voices Ben heard. No matter how many he answered. There would always be one person left unheard, one person left to the dust.
"It'll be alright, sire." Lumiere comforted. "How about I go get you some macarons? That always used to make you feel better when you were a boy."
Ben was only seventeen, but his childhood felt ages ago. He didn't even remember enjoying macarons as a boy even though it was just two years ago when he was considered such. Now his memories were filled with council meetings and trying so hard to find the right words to say but never finding them.
Ben gave Lumiere a forced smile as he tried to pretend the stress of being king wasn't getting to him. Lumiere frowned at the sight easily able to read the emotions Ben was trying to suppress.
"I'll be back," Lumiere said, not even giving Ben a choice to accept a snack. Lumiere left and Ben sat down on the golden plump couch in the royal council chambers lobby.
As if someone could sense Ben finally had a free moment, his phone pinged. His screen was lit up and a small sized version of a picture someone sent filled his phone screen. He checked the name of the sender and smiled when he saw that it was his girlfriend, Mal.
Ben opened up Mal's text and then clicked the image to make it bigger. His phone screen is filled with a painting of a landscape. He recognized the setting as Corona where Mal and he had just recently visited Queen Rapunzel and her husband, Eugene who now sat in the King's conference room about to decide the fate of all the villain kids.
Ben complimented Mal's landscape painting and then mentioned how he presented his proposal today. He told her of his worries and then informed her of his fear that none of his words reached anyone. Three dots appeared on his screen.
A minute later still no reply. Two minutes later and the dots completely disappeared. Ben scratched his head in confusion but then shook it off. Mal was probably busy. She did just send him a beautiful landscape. She probably didn't have time to talk about anything. Probably needed to focus on framing her masterpiece.
Still, Ben wished he had Mal's words of encouragement. Wished that maybe one council member was swayed by his words. But Ben didn't have a fairy godmother or a genie's lamp. And none of that would even matter because magic was banned in all of Auradon. So none of his wishes would ever come true.
Lumiere came back with the macarons and as Ben silently ate them, he pretended that he wasn't a king but a boyish prince waiting for his father to leave the conference room.
A prince without the weight of anyone's decisions on his shoulders. A prince that made promises that he could keep. A prince that always knew the right words to say.
Ben was on his third macaron when he was called back into the conference room. When he was forced to be a king once again.
Ben's proposal was rejected. He sat in his golden throne, so ornately decorated with a heavy heart. Despite, Ben's vast vocabulary. Despite, his years of training to be king. Ben was as speechless as a princess whose father was under a sorcerer's spell.
Yen Sid, however, found the words to say. Knew exactly what to say and how to say it. He suggested that Auradon takes in a smaller number then Ben initially proposed. Ben didn't like it but at least some VK's would have a chance at happily ever after.
Someone added to Yen Sid's statement that maybe they should stick with four the same amount Ben suggested to them years ago. The same number as the vk's that saved all of Auradon with their four hearts as one.
Ben agreed to the council's choice of four. Uma's face appears in Ben's memories. Guilt hits him as he's reminded of what can happen to those who feel left behind. Another member of the council suggested they do an application process and choose only those who can be shaped into the Auradon ideal. Ben disputed that but the other members of the royal council agreed. Even Yen Sid, himself.
Yen Sid's, proposal is passed and Ben's heart filled with glee at the fact more vk's get to experience life in Auradon. He was so happy he could sing but he was in a professional setting now and it would be ridiculous for him to just randomly break out into song. And even though Ben was definitely an expert on feeling ridiculous he wasn't going to dare take that risk.
The royal council meeting is called to an end. And even though Ben had other kingly duties to attend to, he texts his girlfriend, Mal, and her other friends who've very much become Ben's own. He tells them all to meet him at Mal and Evie's dorm in about thirty minutes.
Everyone's already there by the time Ben arrived. Jay and Carlos sat on Mal's bed and both of them are playing games on their portable handheld devices. Evie sat at her drawing desk and was looking through fashion magazines to find out the current trends in Auradon. Mal sat at her desk with earbuds in her ear, she's quietly humming whatever she's listening to.
Ben couldn't exactly see what Mal was doing at her desk but he assumed it was homework.
"I have good news!" Ben proclaimed and three of the core four took interest in what that news could be. Mal was the only one who showed no interest. She was still humming a song to herself and working on her homework.
Ben approached Mal's desk, he tapped her shoulder and when she reacted to it quickly moved to stand in her line of sight.
Mal dropped her pencil and Ben gave her a little wave. Mal gave Ben a smile in response, a smile that made Ben feel like singing her name.
Mal removed her earbuds and tucked her hair behind her ears. "Hey, you." Mal greeted in a flirty tone.
Ben greeted her back. There's an apology in his eyes but he doesn't say it aloud for fear he'll embarrass himself. Ben had been very busy with his kingly duties lately. And Mal was just as equally busy with her lady of the court duties.
So this was the first time in a while where Ben was able to sneak away. Where they were able to be alone.
"Uh, what's the news, Ben?" Jay asked, making Ben remember that he and Mal weren't alone. And that he was here for a very important reason.
"Oh, more vk's will be coming to Auradon!" Ben happily informs his friends.
Evie leaps up from her drawing desk and lets out a noise of excitement."This means Dizzy will be coming here! I can't wait to take her shopping at the fabric store. She'll be so happy to see all the new materials that she can work with in Auradon."
"Well..." Ben's voice sounded very grim, something very unusual for the typically happy king. "She has to go through an application process and be approved. And if she is then only three more spots will be open."
"I'm sorry, what?" Evie said, blinking at Ben. "But you've already sent out a letter? All we needed was Fairy Godmother's approval. Dizzy is looking forward to this!"
Before, Ben could explain what happened at the royal council meeting today, Mal decided to chime in.
"Maybe it's for the best, Evie," Mal said, turning her desk chair in the direction of her friends. Mal rubbed her throat and looked as if she was remembering something. She shuddered.
"For the best?" Evie echoed, upset. "This is not for the best. Dizzy is our friend! Don't you think she deserves a chance to thrive? A chance to taste food that isn't rotten?"
"I know, Dizzy's our friend. I love Dizzy, I do. But I can't shake the feeling that a darkness is coming. And that darkness will try to use Dizzy to get to us." Mal answered.
"Darkness?" Carlos repeated with a bit of fear in his voice as he put his game on pause and settled it down on Mal's bed. "But every villain is on the Isle Of The Lost. Who could bring darkness to Auradon?"
"Every villain but Uma." Mal reminded.
It'd been months since Cotillion happened and Uma hadn't yet to be seen by anyone. Mal kept telling Ben that she felt like Uma was planning something. Something big. But Ben was entirely convinced that Uma was happy just being free of the Isle.
"I don't think we have to worry about Uma, Mal," Ben said, trying to assure Mal that everything was going to be fine.
"You don't know her like I do," Mal replied not assured at all by Ben's words. "She's not the type of person to let things go."
Once upon a time, Mal and Uma were best friends. Two wicked girls who wanted to be just as evil and nasty as their mothers were. Something happened, Ben doesn't know what specifically but they fell out and became enemies. But whatever happened Uma wanted revenge but there was also something else Uma wanted. Wanted more than anything. Freedom.
She wouldn't give away her freedom just to get revenge against Mal. Mal, however, refused to come to that conclusion. And that slightly frustrated Ben.
"We can easily defeat, Uma," Evie said, still obviously upset by the royal council's decision."And we shouldn't let the fear of Uma's revenge keep kids suffering on the Isle. They don't deserve that!"
Ben nodded completely agreeing with Evie. Mal crossed her arms over her chest not convinced by Evie's words at all. Her expression is worried and Ben noticed for the first time that there were dark circles forming under her eyes.
"Mal have you been getting sleep? If your lady of the court duties is affecting your sleeping schedule I could easily cut it down for you."
Mal covered her eyes and looked down. "I've just been cramming for finals. I'm fine. I don't need my lady of the court duties cut down."
"You'd tell me if your duties were interfering with your sleep, right?" Ben asked with concern in his voice.
"Yeah," Mal assured. "Of course, I would."
"When will the application process begin?" Carlos wondered, bringing the subject back to the reason why Ben was even here.
"Not sure, actually but I think they're still sticking to Evie and I's initial plan, so the new vk's will most likely be coming over the summer. So maybe starting next week?" Ben said, mentally reminding himself to get the exact date from the council.
"Are you guys sure an application is a good idea?" Jay questioned.
"I'd rather the royal council stuck to the list I made," Evie grumbled under her breath.
"It's just most of the kids on the Isle can't read or count. So an application puts a lot of them at a disadvantage." Jay said answering his own question.
Jay was right and Ben hadn't even thought to bring that up to his royal council when they passed Yen Sid's proposal. So many Auradon kids would be left behind just because they couldn't read. Ben mentally decided to call an emergency council meeting tomorrow and present all of these facts to his council.
"Oh, you're right." Evie agreed. "And now that I think about it, not everyone speaks Auradonian. There should be an option for a non-auradonian language version or at least a translator to help them with the application."
"I'll inform the council of that," Ben told his friends. Hopefully, Ben finds just the exact words to get the council to approve of alternative ways to fill out an application.
"A lot of VK's will probably be afraid to fill out an application. Openly admitting you want to be good and want more in life isn't exactly something you can do on the Isle." Jay said.
"Maybe we can use you guys as examples for them to follow. Show the other vk's they have a choice. That they can be good too." Ben suggested.
"I don't know about that." Jay shook his head, disagreeing. "We're not exactly popular on the Isle anymore."
"We can show us living our best lives in Auradon or something? Make everyone want to be like us. You know, happy." Evie suggested.
"Maybe we can add some more modern technology to the Isle. So we can broadcast videos of us living our best lives as Evie suggested." Carlos said.
"We can show them how fun R.O.A.R is. Fighting is essentially the number one hobby on the Isle, so R.O.A.R. should appeal to a lot of vk's." Jay said.
"Maybe we should write this down?" Ben said, looking around for a pen and paper.
"Good idea. I'll write it down." Evie said. She then ripped a piece of paper from one of her notebooks on the shelf of her drawing desk and grabbed a pen.
Evie then started writing down all of the things she and her friends had just discussed. When she wrote the last line, she looked up from the paper and asked. "Anything else?"
"None that I can think of," Ben said and looked to Jay and Carlos but both seemed out of ideas. He then looked to Mal who still sat once again with her arms crossed.
"Mal, do you have any ideas?" Ben wondered.
"I already told you how I feel about this," Mal simply stated.
"I know but Mal I swear to you no darkness will come to Auradon. I'll do whatever I can to protect you and this kingdom."
"Dizzy would love seeing all the fabrics Auradon has to offer." Mal mused, seeming a little swayed by the idea of some new vk's coming from the Isle. "Alright, I'll help."
Everyone waited for Mal to present an idea. She hummed and then said. "What if we show VK's that it's good to be bad? You know, like they should be proud of who they are even if they don't fit their parent's standards of villainy."
"How will that make them want to be good?" Carlos questioned.
"Well, if they're proud of themselves won't they want to be more than their parents were. And being good is being more than any of our parents ever were." Mal said, expressing how she herself realized how she wanted to be good.
"Hmm, maybe that could work," Evie said, writing down Mal's idea to the piece of paper filled with everyone else's ideas and suggestions.
After they run out of ideas, Evie presented the piece of paper with everyone's ideas on it to Ben. Ben took it gratefully and assured his friends that he will inform the royal council of all the things they discussed today.
Ben said goodbye to his friends and went back to his palace to fulfill his kingly duties.
The very next day, Ben called an emergency royal council meeting. With the help of his friend's words from the day before, he found the perfect way to explain everything to the council. But just like the day before they still found ways to counter every suggestion and idea Ben puts out.
"Translators? Where would one even find them? No one in Auradon speaks any of the languages anyone from the Isle Of The Lost does." King Phillip said. Ben wondered if King Phillip was purposefully disagreeing with everything Ben said because he like most of Aurora Rose's family was very unhappy with the fact that Maleficent's daughter, Mal lived in Auradon now.
Not only that but eventually, Mal would be Ben's wife and soon the queen of all of Auradon. Ben understood why that would upset King Phillip. Understood King Phillip's anger with Maleficent. But Mal wasn't Maleficent even though technically that was her full name. Though Mal would always remind him she never earned her full name and that she was quite happy she didn't. She liked just being Mal.
A girl from the Isle Of The Lost. A girl who realized she didn't need to be a carbon copy of her mother in order to be worth anything. A girl who chose good and made a lot of mistakes on the way to her final choice of happiness.
Maybe…"What if we get the vk's who live here now to help with the application process on the Isle Of The Lost?"
"And they'd agree to that?" Yen Sid asked, probably knowing that finals were coming up soon for all Auradon Prep students.
"Oh, of course," Ben said, knowing he was wrong to not ask his friends before agreeing they could do something but he couldn't let there be any holes in this plan.
Ben's additions to Yen Sid's proposal are passed by Ben's royal council. Just before the meeting ends, a member of the royal council asks Ben when will the Isle Of The Lost representatives leave for the Isle to start the vk initiative.
Ben asked why it was required for the Isle representatives to return to the isle of the lost. Couldn't they just broadcast them all enjoying Auradon as they planned? The royal council member ended up listing so many reasons for them to return to the Isle that Ben couldn't figure out how he could get his friends out of it. Ben then answered that he'll have to find a good time for his friends but he's sure they'll return to the Isle soon.
The meeting ends and while everyone stood ready to leave, Ben approached representative, Esmeralda. He apologized for not speaking to her about her comments from the day before but informed her he wished to learn more.
Esmeralda placed a hand on her hip and held her head high. She asked Ben if he would do for the outcasts of the kingdom the same things he's planning on doing for the VK's. Ben assured her that he would. Assured her that he was a king for all of his people.
Esmeralda told Ben of some of the ways he could help the outcasts. Ben promised her that he would solve this. That the outcasts would soon not feel like outcasts any longer.
Esmeralda laughed. "That's impossible. This royal council is firm proof of how that will never be."
Ben is confused by Esmeralda's laughter and he asked what she means.
"This Council fears anything that is different. Different to them means anything not like them because according to them good means everyone acts like they've been stuffed in a cookie cutter."
"That's not true," Ben said, still confused.
"Then why do you have goodness remedial? Why do you teach just one type of way to be good? Some say there are so many ways to be wicked but I also think there are so many ways to be good." Esmeralda didn't wait for Ben to answer her. Didn't even add more to her statement. Instead, she walked out of the meeting room, leaving Ben to think about what she said.
Ben thought on Esmeralda's words. She was right there were so many ways to be good. And if everyone thought there was only one way then the ones that didn't fit the mold would be ostracized. Wouldn't they?
Ben had thought his parents preached tolerance throughout their reign but now he realized they taught conformity. Conformity to their ways of thinking. To their ways of good.
The number of mistakes that Ben would have to atone for was only getting higher. He loved his parents, loved them more than anything but Ben was angry.
Angry at how they left the kids of villains to fight for themselves. Angry at how they weren't aware of those left behind in their own kingdom. Angry at how they've left him to fix all of these mistakes. All of their mistakes. Mistakes they've could've easily prevented if only they tried.
A.N. I started writing this after I saw that VK day trailer and initially this was gonna be a short one-shot of how it came to be. And somehow it ended up becoming about Ben dealing with the pressure of fixing his parent's wrongs. It also got much longer than I intended, so I'm posting this to stop myself from adding more. I hope you guys like it. Thanks for reading.