Return to Dragon Hall
Karel_Stein_Adler
"With all my respect Your Majesty, answer is NO WAY," once Fairy Godmother spoke in name of her authority during Council meeting, it was always His Majesty, not Ben, like in school.
"You simply can't have all four weddings in one shared ceremony. Your wedding, as Royal one, must simply be the first. It's also event for all the people of the whole United States of Auradon by the way. The other weddings will be also under different tradition and should also take place on other places…"
"Fine," answered Ben. "I got this. As Lonnie's place in Northern Wei is far away, her and Jay's wedding will be the last, simple logistic reasons. Second wedding should be Evie's and Doug's under dwarven rules. For Jane and Carlos I'll serve myself as registrar, they'll use chapel in Auradon Prep, is that right?"
"Sure, King Ben," answered Doc. "For necessary case, we dwarfs are ready even to take Evil Queen into our custody, as she'll be part of Doug's family after wedding."
"Same wrote me Li Shang about Jafar," commented Ben. "Only what to do with Cruella De Vil, I have no idea."
"There is no place for such person here," said Fairy Godmother. "Maybe I should contact Lunatic Asylum in Eden."
"After last wedding could be Royal Cotillion back here, it's almost first anniversary of that very special last. This time better on dry land. Once Uma is still somewhere out there… Two weeks later our final exam on Auradon Prep should be. After that we'll left for delayed honeymoon. During that time, my father agreed to return for position as King-Regent," nodded Ben. "Is there any other agenda to be spoken about?"
"No," said Grumpy. "Your wedding affairs are what the whole Auradon people just now speak about. They even forgot about that sea witch. On other hand, it's pretty good for our business. Our jewel selling increased more, than twice, comparing to usual time."
"Any new info about both missing?" asked Ben.
Everybody shook their heads.
"So we could finish this meeting now, thank you for your help," said Ben.
Audrey and Chad were missing from time of Royal Cotillion. According Carlos, Audrey asked Chad to pick her in Sherwood. Robin's men found no clue after both, not even after both cars. Ben ordered Evie to take her mirror back, Fairy Godmother supported it, but mirror found nothing. Hard to say, whether Audrey and Chad escaped together, or were kidnapped, but for sure somebody used magic to block spying over them. This magic was for sure unauthorized. Ben agreed with Fairy Godmother not to inform anybody, before they have some real results to speak about. Once Evie has her mirror back and in museum was just fake replica, Ben asked her to find also Uma, but result was same, just nothing. Ben really hoped, Audrey and Chad are not with Uma now…
Jay and Carlos acted both on their own. Jay broke to all castles of both families and planted there eavesdropping devices. Several servants he recruited to spy and independent on this, Jay placed there also new staff members to snoop over both families, not knowing about recruited spies from original staff. Carlos tried to track down Audrey and Chad, as well as Uma, on internet. But result of all these actions was also one big fat zero. Ben made with both of them agreement, they will report only to him and Mal. Ben paid that work by his own money, so nobody should know, both old families are suspected of doing something wrong…
XXXXXXX
Right after council meeting ended, Grumpy caught Ben in empty corridor.
"I need a word in privacy with you," asked dwarf without usual rudeness.
"What's up?" asked Ben, knowing, he could ask favor later for that.
"My son Gordon seems likes Dizzy Tremaine," dwarf was surprisingly shy.
"Make sure nothing happened!" ordered Ben "Dizzy is too young for let's name it errrm … 'real relation'."
"Don't worry. Gordon knows to be gentleman," Grumpy was in trouble to continue. "In fact, it's my own fault. Gordon is learning gem cutter and jewelry making. Dizzy is talented designer, however she works only with tawdry materials. But we made a deal, she allows us to use her designs for real jewels and we allowed her to use flat and workshop in Ruling Steward House for free. And now I think, Gordon admires more Dizzy, than her works."
"That's not so much fair," said Ben. "As I was informed, Dwarven Council nominated Doug to be Ruling Steward, so it's up to him to make such deals."
Ruling Steward House is not a castle, well, at least not officially. It's a fortress, hidden in hills in fact surprisingly not far from Cinderellasburg City. It was forgotten and desolate for many years, inhabited just by spiders and bats. Couple years ago, dwarfs in concealment rebuilt it into a bit gloomy stronghold, perfect treasury for their gems and gold. After reconstruction was finished, they invited Eugene Fitzherbert as consultant. He recommended few improvements and after that he told, that even in his time of Flynn Rider he would have hard time, trying to break there. Only after this consultation, the roadway connecting House with Auradon Highway system was built and existence of Ruling Steward House was announced. When Doug made a proposal to Evie, in one corridor were arranged seven mirrors, made from unbreakable glass. The middle mirror is decorated with gems and equipped with computer. Once voice input hears question like 'who is fairest' (or prettiest or similar adjectives), computer output said by deep voice: "Evil Queen and her daughter Evie." Doug believes, it could keep his future mother-in-law busy for a long time…
"We all financed and worked on building Steward House," answered Grumpy, finally finding himself. "Nobody protested against it, even not Dizzy herself. We make jewels according her design from real gold and gemstones. She has her own money from making imitations. Doug got his position, because he knows from Prep all important people and he is so tall, nobody consider him to be a dwarf, during business negotiations."
Grumpy in other words said, Doug was installed as Ruling Steward because of being Ben's friend. Quite a nepotism, isn't it?
"But Dizzy's imitations are in fact originals and your real jewels are imitations of imitations," Ben laughed. "Isn't that confusing?"
Grumpy growled and left Ben without saying goodbye…
XXXXXXX
Ben was a bit lost in vivid memories, when leaving through corridor. In less, than two months there will be his and Mal's wedding in big Auradon Cathedral. Three days ago Ben had private dispute with his father.
"For time of your honeymoon I could return to office, but only as King-Regent, being King is your business now, son."
"Thanks, dad," nodded Ben. "I would really like fulfill Mal's wish."
"What's that?" asked King Beast with suspicion.
"She would wish to get married silently in school chapel without crowd around," said Ben. "She's worried of too many bystanders around, I guess. It's like a show for crowd and we are just clowns there…"
"It's simply impossible son," answered King Adam. "You must demonstrate confidence in your future queen. She will in future often speak in your name and people simply must believe, she has right to do so. Doing wedding the way you said, many there would say, king found her concubine in whorehouse and is ashamed to take her into Cathedral. My informants told me, prince Chad thought, being informed you are in hands of Uma's pirates, not about helping you, but how HE could become the king. So you must make similar scavengers silent, not daring even think about replacing you. So right now, your wedding MUST BE BIG, especially, once Mal is no princess."
"She's much better, than any princess, maybe with exception of Lonnie and she'll be a great queen, I believe."
"I agree," nodded his father. "But you must prepare things for it properly. And doing a sloppy job with wedding would be great mistake in the beginning."
XXXXXXX
Ben continued remembering…
Three days after cotillion Ben announced News conference and asked his all five saviors, even Mal, to go there in R.O.A.R. uniforms.
In live TV broadcasting he decorated them all with Medal of Valor.
"Unfortunately details are classified, but I'm proud to say, these heroes saved my life during one dangerous action."
Ben decorated each of them, starting with Lonnie, Mal as last.
"And last, but no way least, the true love of my life Mal," said Ben, decorating Malr and kissing her.
The picture of this kiss filled newspapers, as well as TV news.
Once news hounds left place, Mal jabbed Ben into ribs:
"Why did you do that?"
"First of all, you deserve it, all of you," said Ben with wide smile. "And I want keep journalists busy with finding details, speculations about my behavior and so on, so we can try to find, where is hiding Uma, as well as Audrey with Chad. On the other hand, it could help us find also, if there is any unknown communication channel from the Isle to Auradon."
"My agents didn't refer about any," said Jay.
"They cannot know about every farting on Isle," objected Carlos. "I could try to track, how information will be spread in web…"
XXXXXXX
Three months ago Mal used secret passage into Ben's office. Ben showed her, where two secret passages into (and out of) his office are long ago, just not to make Deborah spread tittle-tattle about them.
When Mal shouted boo to Ben's ear, he dropped paper he had in his hand. Once kneeling to lift it back to table, using second hand he produced engagement ring from pocket of his vest.
Mal stared a little bit on ring with glowing green emerald, coupled with two small diamonds.
"Mal, will you marry me?" Ben decided to act quickly without special ceremonies.
Former evil fairy was astonished, however she expected it, one day.
"Do you mean it seriously?" her question was startling.
"Off course I do!" answered Ben firmly.
"In such a case, yes, I will," agreed Mal.
"Your Majesty," hawked Deborah in speakerphone. "If you wanted prevent rumors, you should better keep your speakerphone switched off."
Ben's proposal started true chain reaction. The new somehow 'enigmatically' diffused from his office outside and the same evening Doug did the same. Truth was, he observed Ben with prepared ring and asked his father to prepare same. Only instead of emerald there was a red ruby and Doug had it hidden till the 'Big New' was announced. Jay carried a box with ring several days in his pocket. However he was always brave, it needed Lonnie's almost hurt face for him to find spine bone and ask the question, ring ornate with Yin-Yang symbol made from small diamond gems and black coral in his left hand. Carlos used ring from white gold with small ruby, diamond and hematite in line. In fact it was Jane, whom he found in garden being already on knees, smelling to an flower. So he kneeled next to her and offered her ring without a word, as he lost voice. Thankfully Jane simply hugged him and hissed yes into his ear before kiss.
XXXXXXX
Ben though, he needs to ask Mal for some lectures from 'Evil Schemes'. He could use it to simplify negotiations with Council.
Not far ago he met Mal together with Jane, in silent whispered discussion.
"So, they disagreed," said Mal, observing Ben for a moment. "You have that kicked puppy face of you again."
"Even your mum doesn't want shared ceremony," Ben nodded to Jane. "You are quite lucky. You could use chapel in Prep. We with Mal simply have duty to use Cathedral."
Jane smiled on Ben.
"You two deserve it," nodded Fairy Godmother's daughter. "And people would die for knowing, how your story continues. After life broadcasting from that Cotillion, Mal has more fans amongst your subjects, than you, Ben."
"Sure," nodded Ben. "She is much more beautiful."
"Enough," snorted Mal. "I guess, we have deal, Jane. So bye, I need a private moment with our king right here."
Jane almost escaped from place.
"Fine," Mal pulled Ben's tie. "You have ten minutes. Go change for something more outdoor, waiting for you outside."
People tend underestimate Ben, because he often acts as good dolt, but he was not silly and has observant eye. He recognized, Mal has just her 'isle' trousers, T-shirt and trekking sandals. So he changed to same. When he met Mal, she smiled.
"Good. I found it easier to do it barefoot," said Mal, taking sandals down and fastening them to her belt. "So, Your Majesty, king Benjamin Florian of Auradon, are you brave?"
After that question she turned into purple dragon…
TO BE CONTINUED…