Chapter 1: Mal's Cousin

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC.


"Deborah?" Ben asked as his quill scratched away at his paperwork.

"Yes, your majesty?" Deborah asked from the other line.

"You asked me to regard you concerning the Cotillion?" he asked, pausing from his work to focus on his phone call.

"Yes, sir," she replied.

"Thank you." he replied, hanging up. He was heading back towards his paperwork when there was a knock on his door. Looking up, he smiled as Evie walked in.

Evie, however, was not smiling. "Ben?" she asked.

He stood up to properly greet her. "Evie! Come on in."

Stopping in the doorway, she sadly informed him "Mal's gone back to the Isle." Ben's face fell as she walked over to him. Evie handed him the letter Mal had left. Ben snatched it from her and vigorously read it. "Ben," Evie softly whispered, handing him his ring, which Mal had also left.

Furiously crumpling the note up, he exclaimed "This is my fault! This is all my fault! I blew it. She'd been under so much pressure lately and instead of being understanding I just went all Beast on her. I have to go there and apologize to her. I have to go and beg her to come back."

Evie was close to tears as she replied "You'll never find her. You don't know the Isle. How it works and…" Evie sighed defeatedly before continuing "You have to take me with you."

Whipping around to face her, Ben exclaimed excitedly "Yes!" When he realized what she had truly offered, he slowed down and asked "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. She's my best friend. I'll bring the boys, too, because there's safety in numbers and none of us are too popular over there right now." Evie replied determinedly.

"Thank you." Ben replied gratefully.

Evie turned to face him and said "Let's get two things straight. You have to promise me that I won't get stuck there again."

"I promise." Ben said, nodding solemnly.

"And there's no way you're going looking like that." she added as an afterthought. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she added "But before we go, there's another person we'll need to pick up."

"Name them and they'll come." Ben swore, rushing to her side.

"We'll need Mal's cousin, Lauren Black."