Ring Any Belles?
Mal sat in front of the vanity mirror in a purple robe as Evie began to mess with her purple locks,
"Ok I'm thinking elegant empress" she said more to herself thinking and Mal rolled her eyes as Evie gasped,
"No wait…. Elegant 'goddess'" she said excitedly with a giggled causing Mal to raise her eyes and shake her head in an unimpressed manner,
"Beware, forswear Replace damp locks with elegant royal hair" she grumbled and her locks where now styled in an elegant tied up fashion and she looked over her shoulder at Evie with a smirk who pouted,
"Take all the fun out of things why don't you" she wined before sitting down and started flipping through a magazine and Mal rolled her eyes once again,
"Don't push your luck Evie. I let you design me a dress. I won't let you… Princessify me any more than necessary" she said firmly and Evie simply pouted.
Evie and Mal looked up quickly when there was a sudden knock at the door. It wasn't the secret knock they had discussed with Jay and Carlos so Mal was cautious,
"Who is it?" she called out and she was stunned to hear the queen, Ben's mother answer,
"It's me….. The que….. I mean….. Ben's mother" she answered as she corrected herself quickly and Evie looked at Mal with wide eyes who simply shrugged her shoulders unknowingly before going and opening the door.
Belle smiled softly,
"Ahhhhh…. Mal. I was hoping I could speak to you before Ben's coronation" she said gently before glancing at Evie with an awkward smile,
"Privately" she said guiltily and Evie quickly reacted,
"Oh!... Of course. I'll just…" she said gesturing to the door as she began to leave,
"See you later Mal!" she said quickly before closing the door behind her before Mal could even protest.
The silence between both Belle and Mal became awkward but Belle was first to break the silence. She smiled softly,
"I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that you will be attending the coronation today" she told her gently,
"Yes I am happy that your friends are also attending but It makes me particularly happy that you will be my son's partner today… Thank you" she said softly and Mal looked stunned,
"Why are you thanking me?" she asked confused and Belle smiled softly,
"It may surprise you Mal but….. Like my son I don't see you as a villain" she told her gently before her expression became slightly embarrassed,
"I shall be honest….. When Ben told me and his father that you and the other descendants would be joining us here in Aradon Well… I did have my doubts. I guess you could say I've become a slight hypocrite over the last few years" she said awkwardly and Mal shook her head and waved her hand dismissively,
"Oh no….. I understand. Your life's a fairy tale and… Well fairy tales aren't exactly a place for villains" she reasoned but Belle smiled sadly as she sat down on the edge of Mal's bed before patting the side next to her and Mal obeyed,
"My life wasn't always a fairy tale" she told her gently,
"Before the crown….. And the castle and the throne… I was but a simple peasant girl whom everyone thought was odd." She explained as Mal looked at her sadly but Belle smiled softly,
"But….. When I met my husband… My beast. He saw something inside me. He saw the beauty within." She told her gently which made Mal smile gently,
"Yes it took him time but it also took me time to see the man behind the beast. That's the thing about love….. It has to have time and it must always be given a chance." She told her softly with a smile before patting Mal's hand gently,
"I am truly sorry for misjudging you Mal" she said softly and Mal suddenly felt guilty so all she could do was give an awkward smile which Belle returned with her own genuine one,
"I'll leave you to get ready. I'll see you at the coronation" she said gently before leaving Mal who simply looked at the floor sadly before placing her face in her hands. Could she truly go through with the plan?