Maleficent stood with her daughter at the entrance of the ruined bridge. At some point, the island had been connected to the mainland via a colossal bridge that spanned from the island to Belle Harbor, but King Adam had it destroyed once the villains were rounded up and dumped. Now all that stood was one arching tower, some jagged iron bars, and about a quarter mile of road that led out to the water; the only thing that kept people from jumping off was the magical wall.

Mal had one trunk but all it had were clothes and all her treasures secretly wrapped up and hidden away. The Maledictae Grimoira was also buried amongst her things, and she worried that her mother's insistence that she take it would get her expelled before she even attended one class. It was a massive monstrous thing that felt like it weighed more than all her clothes and the trunk combined. She would prefer not to have to carry it ever again. It also didn't help that the book was bound in a questionable leather she was afraid to ask what animal it came from, desperately hoping it was animal in origin, and an onyx wrought dragon sigil on the front. It basically screamed "Evil Magic Book" and she was pretty sure Crown Prince Ben didn't have it in mind as part of the school curriculum. She hoped she could chuck it once she was Kingdom side but doubted it. If magic could be wielded on the mainland, then the book probably had spells upon it to protect itself. That was part of "Magic Objects Safety 101." So trying to get rid of it could potentially attract more attention than she wanted and harm to her person, so her main plan was to hide it away and never think of it again.

It sat in her mother's room collecting dust for twenty years, it could do so for another twenty in the comfort of an Auradon Prep closet.

Evie and Ravenna were there too, the cerulean haired girl packing much more stuff for her stay, surrounded by bags and two trunks; her mother willing to pay as much as it took to properly prepare her daughter to seduce and marry a prince.

Maleficent and Ravenna had a professional respect for one another but they weren't friends. No discussion took place and they all stood in a stony silence while they waited for a ride to Auradon.

It wasn't until Carlos and Jay showed up Maleficent that consented to speak.

"I can't believe they invited that mongrel to the school. I guess they have no standards to whom they want to 'rehabilitate,'" disgust clear in her voice as she talked about the dual toned teen and the Crown Prince's nonsense quest, not caring to keep her voice low.

It was the years of keeping her emotions under control lest she collect more scars that kept Mal silent. She didn't know why her mother hated Carlos, but he was never allowed near her shop and Mal was forbidden from even speaking to him. She knew her mother hated weakness above all else, which is how she viewed pretty much every human but Cruella in particular was low in her opinion.

Maleficent tolerated Ravenna because she was a witch, and had some fairkind blood somewhere in her line given Evie's blue hair. Her friend's father was some minor royal, an archduke from the Summerlands if Mal remembered correctly, that Ravenna had tried to ensnare but he had no intention of marrying her; even after he had found out she was pregnant, he had stopped coming to the island completely after that. Even if he were crazy enough to marry her, there was no guarantee King Adam would grant her clemency. It was just as likely the archduke would have been disentitled and banished, then Ravenna would have been in the same place as she always had been but with a useless infatuated noble. Mal was certain desperation and all the time on the Isle had caused the witch's mind to go soft.

Both Maleficent and the Madam liked to get together and have a drink over how much they hated human men. It was the closest either got to something resembling friendship.

Mal's mother had never considered Cruella a true villain. de Vil had always just been a spoiled idiot who threw her life away, over something as stupid as a fur coat, to her. If she was able to purchase eighty-something puppies legally, why not find some other litter of puppies to skin? Maleficent felt of the reasons to be banished, Cruella's was the dumbest. Cruella wasn't one of them, period. Maleficent, Ravenna, and Jafar had all tried to take over kingdoms; some with more success than others. Cruella was there because at worst, animal cruelty. The fact the woman went insane after being imprisoned put her even lower in her mother's esteem.

There was an acceptable amount of sociopathy and psychopathy in villainy; it was expected and in most cases encouraged. But being traumatized and hysterical was beyond the pale for most and certainly no one had the patience for it.

There was also the mystery of Carlos' father. It was no secret that he wasn't Fisher de Vil's child, the man too meek, timid, and Carlos looked nothing like him nor did he take after any other traits. Fisher was a short, squat man who was fat at some point but the harsh life of the island had his once stretched rotund skin now flabby and hanging off him like one of his coats. He always followed Cruella around like a pathetic lapdog, always begging for treats and attention, keeping her out of danger.

Carlos was tall, lean, lithe, agile, athletic, and far more handsome. All traits Fisher lacked. With Cruella's upper-class upbringing, she may have been graceful at some point, but her years of being on the island and declining health had her staggering in ill fitted high heeled boots.

Then there were Carlos' supernatural traits. He was as underfed as any child on the island but he was nimble and quick, stronger than most as well. Mal tried not to blush at remembering his burgeoning six pack and lean muscles and how they felt under her hands. He wasn't as bulked up as Jay, but she was certain it was due to the latter's more concentrated djinn heritage. Mal was confident the only reason any of them didn't look completely malnourished or had died was due to magical inheritance that made them heartier than humans. Carlos also had an enhanced sense of smell and other acute senses, it helped him trap and kill the few game animals they had on the island.

Skills that had saved the four of them from starvation more than once.

Whenever he was agitated, scared, or any heightened emotion, his eyes turned blood red; definitely not a human trait and Cruella and Fisher were as human as they came. He also had a deep inhuman growl that would reverberate through her and she shivered at what she did to elicit that response in their private time.

Carlos' nosed twitched at the scent he caught in the air, trying not to allow his primal side preen at Mal's arousal, knowing she was thinking of him when they caught each other's eyes for a second.

There was some incident that happened with Cruella but no one ever talked about it. It was too scandalous for even villains to gossip about. All Mal could ever glean was that Cruella was attacked one day, it put the already fragile socialite over the edge, and Carlos was born nine months later.

Thankfully her mother's business had not started yet, although it was doubtful Maleficent would have helped Cruella anyway. So while the circumstances of his birth were abhorrent, Mal couldn't help but be thankful he was born.

Rape wasn't uncommon on the island, so she didn't understand the silence. Plenty of her classmates at Dragon Hall were products of coercion. She had gleefully helped her mother create poisons in vengeance of these occurrences when she was younger. She continued to do so for her current classmates. But whatever happened, no one spoke of it and it completely disgusted her mother. Mal suspected it was some dark fae, one that Maleficent knew personally and found repugnant. Her mother was notorious for holding grudges. There were three tiny pixies from the Moor that her mother considered traitors for not only making peace with King Stefan knowing what he did to her, but they hid away Aurora and altered her curse where "true love's kiss" would break it. Mal wondered if the suspected fae was someone who was neutral in the battle and Maleficent was never one to forgive. Who knew how the tides may have turned if she had more allies loyal to the Moor. There were a few others that got banished to the island, mostly vindictive nature sprites and brownies the King and Fairy Godmother had managed to scrounge up. They lived in the woods, glens, and streams on the Isle; mostly staying away from humans and more powerful and larger fae, but every so often they would attack humans that stumbled into their territory. Given Cruella's penchant for wandering around aimlessly, she probably crossed a fairy ring or broke an inhabited tree and courted their wrath. Mal didn't have the resources to research the different kind of fairies in the world, or at least the ones that inhabited the Isle. Certainly ones that had red eyes and acute senses would narrow it down, she only hoped that Auradon's libraries were as vast and renowned as rumored.

Jay was not on Maleficent's radar and never acknowledged his existence. She had no use for a thief as she always got what she wanted through fear and intimidation. She never dealt with Jafar, that was grunt work for Mal.

Ravenna had nothing against Jafar, they traded goods and Jay never stole from the Fleur de Pomme or anyone that worked there. The whore he was born from was not one of hers. But she was weary that the handsome teenager would ruin her beautiful daughter's chances at finding a prince, so he was never welcomed at the brothel other than to do business. And when he was there, Evie was always sent to another room.

Carlos was not worth courting Maleficent's fury. She also didn't know what the horned fairy had against the boy as he was harmless and basically a nobody, even by Isle standards, but she followed her fellow villain's example and barred Evie from befriending the boy and ignored his existence.

The two women kept their distance from the boys, their daughters close to them.

Neither Jay nor Carlos had an adult with them. The latter had a large duffle bag with clothes and a smaller back pack with his tools as well as a stowaway. He didn't want to risk anyone in Auradon knowing he could jailbreak their technology and confiscate it from the brothels, so most of his electronics he left at Hell Hall. He just hoped he would be able to study and work with the more advanced stuff Auradon had and that his secret passenger would keep quiet until they were firmly within Auradon Prep's dorms.

"Are you not bringing anything?" Carlos asked, wondering why the long hair teen didn't even have a bag with him.

"Nah, they're going to be providing uniforms and I figure I'll just steal what I need," Jay said confidently, "So not into the whole 'packing thing.'"

It wasn't without merit as he was the best thief on the island; it was why his father was still in business. There were probably rules against stealing at Auradon Prep but he knew he would never be caught.

"Where's your dad?"

"Psst. Like he cares or notices. Pretty sure he's still searching for a lamp. I worked overtime last night to keep him busy shifting through things to try to sell and I implied I may have found one in the pile."

He was also positive that his father wouldn't notice he was truly gone until his inventory ran short which should be at least a week, by then it would be too late and he would be unreachable. While he didn't truly trust the whole "chance at being good" experiment, he trusted Mal and he would follow her.

He was as eager as any of them for a chance at something better. His father wasn't abusive and he was fed better than most because of his talents. But his father also wasn't great, he never seemed to notice or care what Jay did or went. It wasn't uncommon for him to be absent for weeks at a time, Jafar never seeming the wiser.

Jay didn't know what to expect or what he wanted from Auradon, but there had to be more to life than a cycle of stealing, selling, stealing what they sold to later sell again. He never told the others, but sometimes he would climb to the highest building on the Isle, the only one brave enough since it was not structurally sound. He risked it because it had the best view of a castle, a view of a better life that was out there. He didn't even know which castle it was, but it was beautiful and stately. He even got peaks of a blue sky, something he never saw on the Isle. Why couldn't something better be for him too? He didn't even want a castle, just something that was his and didn't have to always watch his back, afraid it would be stolen. He didn't want to have to worry where his next meal would come from or live only day to day, meal to meal. He wanted to be someplace where he could just hang out with his friends, somewhere an overprotective adult didn't constantly watch him, afraid he was going to do something bad.

He didn't want a kingdom, he wanted security.

He didn't think that was too much to ask for.

Jay didn't bother asking Carlos about Cruella, knowing it was a sore subject and that the woman would have tried to keep his best friend there. He knew Carlos was never in danger of being kept on the island, Mal or himself would have seen to the woman's demise if she had truly managed to imprison their friend.

Carlos wanted to go to Mal but he wouldn't dare with her mother so close. He had to pretend they were nothing more than strangers, Mal too above his station to even condescend to look at. It always hurt when she had to act like that, but knowing how vicious Maleficent could be, he wouldn't put it past the ultimate villain to kill her own daughter if she disobeyed. He remembered the year Mal was shaved bald and he had seen her scars first hand. He didn't know why Maleficent hated him, he had met her maybe once in person when he was seven and she had immediately forbidden Mal from even talking to him.

He had dealt with Cruella's indifference, only deigning to look at him when she wanted something. Meeting Maleficent, it was the first time he had experience distain at his mere existence and felt true fear his life could be in danger. He was used to being ignored, but Maleficent went out of her way to keep him away from her and Mal. At seven he didn't understand why an adult would hate him so; he was just a little boy. At seventeen, he still didn't understand why she hated him, but he knew she viewed him as filth and unworthy of being in her or Mal's presence.

Magic or no magic, no one crossed Maleficent. Even without her powers, potions and poisons still worked. There had been plenty of people who tried to take down the dark fae and she was the one still standing after twenty years. In an island full of the world's worst, she was at the top of the food chain. There were literal graveyards filled with those who had displeased or defied her, all dying painful and horrific public passings, poisons that stretched death out of their reach for days. Something he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy, even Cruella. He stayed far away from the darkest family on the Isle for years, to the point Maleficent probably forgot he had existed. It wasn't until they became teenagers did he run into Mal again, and then the rest was history.

A limo pulled up, something they had never seen other than on the ancient television he was able to get working and nothing nearly as nice; vehicles were rare on the island and most were non-functioning as petroleum or an alternative fuel was never mass produced despite the high number of mad scientists on the island. This one was sleek, black, shiny (rare was anything clean enough on the island to shine), and had the royal standard flittering in the wind. The royal crown as the hood ornament finished off the regal look, which would have glittered if the sun had been out.

The sun was never out on the Isle.

A skeletal woman in a patched together white and black fur coat had come running down the street, yelling him.

"Carlos! No, you can't leave! I'd miss you! Who else is going to touch up my roots, fluff and protect my furs, and clean the manse?!"

He rolled his eyes and made his way quickly to the car, wondering how Cruella was cognizant enough to realize he knew about Auradon Prep and figured out where he was. He chucked his duffle bag into the trunk as the driver struggled with Evie's trunks, and hopped into the limo without even acknowledging Cruella, gently cradling his backback. When she tried to physically stop him, he turned and growled at her, eyes glowing scarlet and she took her hand back just as quickly, shaken at his reaction. There was the briefest of staring contests, each defiant and angry. Once she got the point that he wasn't staying and she had no way of keeping him there, he went into the car and he hoped that was the last time he would ever have to see her.

When he was out of her sight but still within hearing distance, she just sneered,

"Ungrateful brat," and then started to mutter to a stuffed dog head on her coat, saying that he wasn't worth it and that she had a social gathering to get ready for.

"Is there another car coming? I'm not sure if I want my daughter riding in a car with…that thing," Maleficent asked the Auradon driver in a rare moment of politeness.

"Mom, it's fine…" but all Mal got for her trouble was a dismissive hand and her mother not even bothering to turn around to look at her.

"No, mam. This is the only car going to the mainland. We don't like to risk opening the barrier unnecessarily," the peon droned on, keeping his sunglasses on and acted as if looking at them was beneath him.

Evie and Mal locked eyes, wondering if he knew about the guards' taste for Isle whores and that they had no problem taking "unnecessary risks."

If Maleficent had any power, he would have been set on fire for the disrespect. Mal had to control herself from laughing, loving that her mother was getting a taste of her own medicine.

"Now Evie, remember. No prince wants a flower that has already been plucked," Ravenna told her daughter while eying Jay as he stole the bonnet ornament then dashed into the car to evade being caught.

"Of course mother, I'll nab a prince and we'll get our happily ever after," Evie replied, keeping a cold icy stare, never risking wrinkles, and hoping that convinced her mother that she was a totally innocent 100% virgin and didn't ride Jay's face last night in their secret apartment.

"Psssh, there is no happily ever after. There is only living comfortably in a castle ever after."

How Ravenna's standards had lowered since being entrapped on the Isle. She had once conquered kingdoms and now all she wanted was a castle.

Mal didn't understand how the woman didn't know Evie was worth so much more than any prince, as she eavesdropped on the conversation.

Evie was talented, smart, and beautiful; she didn't need a prince.

Evie just kept her face impassive, wanting to get away from her mother and having no idea what to say. She got into the car and mentally hurried Mal to get in so they could get going.

"Remember Mal, the fate of the free world rests on your shoulders. Don't blow it," her mother said and by her look, the lingering threat that Mal would regret the day she was born if she had failed.

All Mal could do was nod and slid into the limo, keeping her eyes anywhere but to Carlos; an air of indifference as her mother watched her until the door closed.

"The jackals have landed," they heard muffled through the divider, not sure what that meant. The car jerked forward and they were off to Auradon.

Once she felt she was out of her mother's sight, she started to explore her new surroundings. It was nothing like she had ever seen before, there were jars of brightly colored objects; tiny round and other shapes of what might be food but nothing that naturally grew anywhere or least not that she had seen on the island. Perhaps there was magic on the mainland and it affected their fare to look to colorful and perfectly uniform.

The seats were a soft and supple black leather, far finer than anything that could be produced on the island. There was even a television, almost paper thin and far more advanced. It was clear that Auradon had more money than they knew what to do with, if they outfitted non-essentials with such finery.

Normally curiosity would have gotten to Carlos and he would have immediately tried whatever food they had provided but with his intense stare, it was clear he wasn't seeing any of it.

Now that they were away from Cruella and Maleficent, she threaded her fingers with his and scooted right next to him. She was happier than she thought she ever could be by simply holding hands and getting to sit as close to him as she wanted.

"She didn't even care I was going and would probably never see me again. All she cared about was losing her servant."

Although he hated her, something he could admit to himself after years of desperately trying to get her to love him back and nothing coming from his efforts, it still hurt how little Cruella cared for him and never had. He rebuked himself for the moment of hope that she would miss him as she said she would, but for all the wrong reasons.

Mal didn't think she would ever despise anyone more than Cruella de Vil. Seeing how upset Carlos was, and even close to tears but straining to keep them at bay; trying to be strong and not let it get to him, she couldn't help but think,

One day I'm going to kill her.

She was just waiting for the day Carlos said the words. She knew the exact knife she'd plunge into her heart. She'd figure out the details of getting back to the island for a visit later.

"We're free of them and we're never going back," she comforted him, kissing his cheek and bringing him in close, nuzzling into his neck. He let her pull him in and his anger was replaced with relief. They were finally getting away from the island and he would do whatever it took to never return.

He would let go of Cruella and all that was wrong with the Isle, he refused to be weighed down by its evil legacy.

Jay had already pocketed several items from the limo, his urge to steal in overdrive amongst all the riches before him. He had found a remote, unsure of what it was to and started to randomly push buttons. It caused the divider to roll down and the kids got their first look of where they were going. They were barreling towards the end of the ruined bridge and it looked like they were about to plummet to their death.

Each teen had started to scream their fear and held onto each other, each cursing their own stupidity for trusting that Prince Ben would truly give them a chance.

That asshole King Adam probably set this whole thing up to get rid of the next generation of villains.

But instead of falling into Belle Bay, a gold shroud of magic surrounded the car and spiraled from the Isle of the Lost to Belle Harbor, creating a dreamlike passage.

Once they realized they were safe, they all felt a little foolish for reacting in such an undignified way but when they calmed down there was a silent agreement to never mention it and pretend it never happened.

But their eyes widened when Mal's, Jay's, and Evie's hands each emitted a smokey green, gold, and blue light respectfully; first proof that they were no longer on the island and their magic bound. The light was gone before they knew it and weak, Mal doubted it would've helped them if they did fall to their deaths but it was a start.

Mal looked to Carlos, wondering if any of his suspected fae heritage would have also manifested but only his eyes had turned red and his hair and eyebrows looked to grow slightly feral but she wasn't sure if it was just a few days since he's groomed himself or mussed in the moment of terror when they held each other. Once he calmed down, the crimson receded from his eyes and they turned back to the gentle brown she had grown to love.

"Did this remote open up the magic barrier?" Jay asked, curious to know if it was that simple and perhaps why they never figured out how the soldiers crossed the barrier. He had always looked for something bejeweled or "magic" looking. The prostitutes that catered to them probably had a similar mindset.

"No, this opens up the magic barrier," he held up a dark burnished gold but otherwise identical remote. "That one opens up my garage. And this button..." he said sarcastically and let the divider raise up to finish his sentence for him.

They were all used to snark, rudeness rather rampant on the island. They all laughed and thought that perhaps the mainland wouldn't be so different and lame after all.

"Okay…nasty," Mal commented, amused. "I like that guy."

It was rare Mal ever felt such fear, but she used it as an excuse to snuggle into Carlos and stay close. She was surprised when she saw his bag move on its own, then more so when a fluffy slate grey cat made itself known.

"Beezy!" Mal exclaimed, happy to see the feline. The cat in question pounced out of the bag, no longer satisfied with hiding and went to his mistress' lap and with an intense peridot stare that demanded he be cuddled and petted. He too had been frightened but mostly because he could feel the fear of his master and mistress and heard their screaming.

She was more than happy to oblige, scratching under his chin and giving him long loving strokes across his silky fur.

Besides with Carlos and the others, Mal was never what one would call gentle but she made the exception for the feline. Carlos' cat Beelzebub, Beezy for short, was one of the few pets on the island. In general, no one kept pets as it was one more mouth to feed. But Lady Tremaine's cat Lucifer kept siring litters so they were everywhere, but at least cats were good for rodent control. Because of Cruella, dogs weren't allowed on the island at all.

Aside from Evie, Beezy was the first thing to show Carlos any kind of affection and Mal loved the mouser for it, slightly guilty that it took her so long to do the same. The tomcat at first distrusted the magenta haired fae, but warmed up to her once she started to date his master. Now he had four teens wrapped around his claws; they fed him scraps, had wide laps for his comfort, and scratched him just right.

Once their hearts stop threatening to beat out of their chests, they explored more of the limo. Jay and Carlos being rather fearless around food, started to pop random things into their mouths and hoped for the best.

It wouldn't be the first time they ate questionable items when hungry.

Evie and Mal waited for their respective boyfriends to let them know how it was. From their disgusted looks, it was rather appalling. Although it was clear neither liked what was in their mouths, wasting food was about as close to sacrilege as anyone on the island could get. They swallowed down what was in their mouths and grabbed what they hoped was water in swing top Codd-neck bottles that were chilling in an ice bucket to wash the taste out.

"What is it?" Evie asked.

"I have no idea. It's sweet, like honey but without honey flavor and twenty million times more intense. This food has no taste, just sweet," Jay struggled to explain.

Mal and Evie frowned, wondering what Crown Prince Ben was trying to feed them. A thought occurred to Evie and she took a blue colored item and experimentally dragged her tongue across it, just wanting a taste but not wanting it in her mouth.

"Sugar," her suspicions confirmed.

"Sugar?" Jay asked, not familiar with the word as it was practically non-existent on the Isle.

"It's what makes things sweet, like salt makes things salty. It's part of fermentation of the apples to make apple wine."

Evie and Carlos were the only ones interested in the actual process and chemistry of alcohol production, so they were more familiar with the ingredients and the reactions. Sugar in its processed form was unheard of as the Isle didn't grow sugar cane, beets, or anything they could refine. If they wanted anything sweetened they would have to hunt for honey; most didn't bother as they didn't think getting stung was worth it.

"Sometimes the soldiers bring it as payment. They refine it down to its crystalline form and it's used as a sweetener…but this is like they used nothing but sugar. The most I've ever seen used is a cup for a cake. For this to be pure sugar…" Evie had no more to say as she couldn't explain why they'd use so much.

"So Auradon citizens eat straight sugar?" Mal asked, wondering if this was what their diet mainly consisted of, not believing it but what else could it be since it seemed to be the only thing the limo offered.

"That's what it tastes and looks like."

They all looked to the confections, disappointed and wondering if they were going to starve. Carlos bravely picked a few other items, wanting to see if he could find something he liked. There was an array of the little foods; it couldn't all be bad could it?

There were multi-colored and stringy looking pieces, it reminded him of worms and wondered why they would serve it to them. He popped it into his mouth and for the first time in years, he spit food right out.

"Whatever that is, it's not ripe. It's completely sour." Still not wanting to waste food as he had felt the pain of hunger too many times to take any food that he came across for granted; he threw the piece into his mouth and chugged water right after it to chase it down as quickly as it could.

He mostly wished the texture wasn't so odd.

Soft but firm. Bouncy?

He couldn't put it into words. It was all so strange to him.

There was one last thing he wanted to try, a dark brown disk that looked like the most natural thing there but still, nothing he had ever seen before. His smelled it carefully and it still had that abundant sweetness to it but not as harsh as everything else. There was an underlying milky and nutty scent and made it much more appetizing than the brightly colored bits.

He timidly bit into it and there were divergent flavors that danced on his tongue, so much better than anything he had so far and in his life.

"It's sweet, like I don't know what but not as bad as the other stuff. It's a bit salty too, like some kind of nut."

Finally finding something palatable, Evie and Jay took samples too and wholeheartedly agreed the dark brown pieces were far superior. Not all of them were the mix of sweet and salty, but there was a feeling of enjoyment that they've never experienced before just by eating.

Carlos was about to hand Mal a disk, thinking she'd enjoy it but he grew worried when she was looking green and not just her eyes.

"What's the matter?" all thoughts pushed aside to make sure his girlfriend was alright, the other two also dropping the food and wanting to help.

"I don't know…I just feel very sick," her face scrunched in nausea, trying her best not to vomit but she was certain it was going to be a losing battle. She had been feeling queasy for a while but at first she wrote it off as nerves.

"Hey!" Jay banged on the divider, trying to get the driver's attention. "Mal is sick, we need help!"

The car immediately pulled to the side of the road and Mal rushed out, not wanting to get sick inside the car or vomit on Carlos. They were in some rural area as there were no buildings they could see and much more vivid green grass and trees than they have ever seen in their life. Mal emptied the contents of her stomach as soon as she got outside, her body rejecting everything and despite not having had much to eat that morning, she still felt as sick as she had moments ago. Her stomach empty and she was dry heaving. Carlos rubbed her back and thankfully her hair was up and out of her face already. He tried to comfort her and worried about what was wrong with her.

All four teens winced at how bright it was, the sun feeling like it was right above them. Since when was the sky as blue as sapphires? Evie and Jay covered their eyes, the brightness painful to bear.

Their driver came around,

"What's the matter?"

"We don't know, your food is poisonous or something," Carlos growled out, certain something inside the limo had made her ill. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open in the light, so the driver didn't see his eyes turn red in anger and didn't have the sense to be scared.

"No, I didn't have any of the food," Mal said between heaves. "I just started to feel sick, I don't know what it is."

"Have you ever been in a car?" the driver asked, having an idea of what was wrong with her.

She shook her head "no" and just tried to keep breathing through the nausea.

"It's probably motion sickness," the kids looked blankly at him as if he just made it up. "It's when you can see but not sense motion or vice versa. It can cause nausea and vertigo. Are you dizzy?"

Mal nodded "yes" but thankfully her nausea started to subside. She gratefully took the water from Carlos, she didn't think she could stomach drinking but she at least wanted to get the sick taste from her mouth. She wished she could appreciate nature but everything was just so much brighter than on the island. She swished and spit out the water a couple times, then felt she was ready to get back into the limo.

"Why don't we have it?" Evie asked.

"It doesn't affect everyone. It's genetic or something."

The driver noticed all four teens seemed to be struggling to see,

"What's wrong with your eyes?"

"Nothing is wrong with our eyes, it's just that Auradon is apparently right next to the sun," Jay answered defensively, frowning at the general direction of the driver as he wasn't totally sure where he was and didn't want to open his eyes further.

It took the driver a moment to remember that the Isle of the Lost was under a perpetual overcast of clouds and pollution. So the kids were used to a much dimmer world and it was a clear mid-August day so it was probably the brightest day the kids have ever experienced. He also noticed just how pale they were as well. Evie and Mal being porcelain fair and could even see some blue veining under their skin; the boys looking like they should have been naturally tanner but since they rarely saw direct sunlight were also pale.

The driver himself was also wearing sunglasses, the day was bright and he had grown up in such conditions so the teens must feel like they were going blind.

Luckily as a driver for the royal family, it was part of the mystique to always be wearing sunglasses so he had several spare pairs in the glove department. He trotted back to the limo and grabbed some and reached into the back fridge to grab a cold can.

The teens were surprised at being given the glasses, never having had seen ones that were tinted dark. There were dark googles that welders used, and Mal remembered sometimes henchmen would wear them to appear menacing. They supposed they were more popular in Auradon because they were needed given how sunny the mainland was. It was still brighter than comfortable but the glasses at least made things tolerable.

Mal shakily got up, wanting to push Carlos off of her and hating that she felt so weak. She loathed being sick, but she knew he was just trying to help and she detested even more making him feel rejected. So she let him help her into the car. The driver put a cold object in her hand, unsure of what it was and what to do with it.

"It's ginger ale."

That explained nothing to her. She knew ginger could ease upset stomachs; it's what the girls from the brothel chewed on when they decided to keep the children and had pregnancy sickness. She had never heard of making it into ale, limited resources, but was glad to have something. The driver had to show her how to open the can, the Isle never making use of canning drinks as it would use up too much resources and didn't have the ability for recycling. They had only ever used glass bottles and cups. Some families had silver chalices or goblets but those were jealously guarded. The ones Jay could steal never stayed in the shop long and Jafar never kept any for their use.

The liquid was cool, crisp, and the bubbles tickled her nose. She winced that it was obviously filled with sugar and didn't understand how anyone could drink more than a few sips but she would do anything to get rid of the nausea.

"It's probably better if you drive in front," the driver offered when they headed back into the limo. She was wearing sunglasses but from the twist of her head and defensive stance he knew she didn't trust him. "You're less likely to get motion sick if you can see better where you're going."

It sounded fake but she didn't want to risk getting sick again. Not the greatest first impression to get or give.

Carlos didn't want her to go, but he knew how she hated to be ill and he kept silent. He kissed her forehead,

"Do you have your blade?" he asked lowly as he hugged her before she left. She didn't bother answering when she gave him a withering look, as if she'd ever go anywhere without a weapon.

He smiled, that was his girl. He leaned to give her a kiss on the lips but she turned away.

"No, I'm gross."

"Don't care," and stole a kiss anyway. If he were anyone else, he would have been socked but she smiled, feeling warm knowing that he loved her no matter what.

They took care of each other, that's what love was.

The driver apparently knew what he was talking about as she did feel better sitting in the front seat and drinking the ginger ale.

I wonder if they would give me the recipe, I could brew it…

But the thought stopped abruptly. She didn't need the recipe; she was never going back to the island. She wouldn't brew another potion or pot of tansy tea for the girls at the brothel or anyone. The Isle had no doctors, her mother being the closest thing to a midwife it had. So all the girls at Fleur and anyone who could afford it would only have her mother to go to.

It wasn't often she felt guilt and it wasn't one of those times. She got out and she couldn't muster feeling sorry about it. Perhaps if she were the only one going, but the most important people in her life were in the limo with her. And even if she were alone, she would have gotten the Godmother's wand or whatever else she needed to gain their freedom.

It would have been both annoying and terrifying to have her mother at full power and free, but the others would have been worth it. Auradon was a big place; she probably would have figured a way to escape with them. Let her mother play Dark Mistress of the Universe and they would lay low somewhere far away. It wasn't as if Maleficent would have any use for her after she got free and was extremely unconvinced about her mother's desire to share a throne, despite the pretty picture she'd paint with promises of what would happen once vengeance was theirs.

There could only be one Queen and Mal had no desire to fight for it.

Carlos had kept the divide down and rested his chin on the landing, wanting to be close to Mal. She reached back and ran her hands through his silken hair and just wanted to keep contact with him. She liked the longer hair but also missed his curls. She knew he wouldn't let his hair curl when it was that long, he felt it was too much of a hassle and never behaved but she thought it'd be the most adorable thing she would have seen in her life. But adorable wasn't safe on the Isle. Something that wouldn't be allowed, not even something as innocuous as a hairstyle. They could never been seen as anything other than fierce, cold, and vicious. She didn't even know her mother's hair color, the fae had kept it under the hennin ever since she could remember. Ravenna had followed suit. Mal's own hair was kept up in tight twin French braids. Having long hair could potentially be a weakness if someone she was fighting decided to grab onto it and pull, she had done it plenty of times herself to her foes. Jay and Evie were allowed to keep theirs down because the former had gotten so good at evading those he was thieving from and the latter was not the fighting type. She could easily charm her way out of any confrontation and being Mal's friend and Ravenna's daughter, most avoided her altogether.

Perhaps in the protection of Auradon Prep he would grow his hair, it just may be alright to show a little vulnerability.

She idly wondered what it would be like to let her hair down and have the wind blow through it, feeling truly free.

They finally came to a long driveway, a wrought iron gate ornamented with the distinctive red rose sigil of King Adam. The gate column had a plaque with a royal shield and the words

Pas D'honneur Supérieur

On or and azure quarters, indicating its roots in House Bourbon, badges of the rose, a book, a stylized A and P.

Whatever all that means.

Auradon really like its flags. Crown Prince Ben had one, the school had one, the King and Queen each had one. It made Mal wonder if Maleficent had one.

Maybe I should get one.

The thought amused her, her artistic mind already coming up with designs and colors she would use; she would never seriously use it, it was more mocking than anything but fun to think about.

Double dragons intertwined and counterchanged. Definitely. Acid green and magenta, obviously.

Carlos wondered what Mal was thinking about, as she seemed particularly amused at something.

The gate opened as if it were expecting them, and it was still at least a minute of driving to get to the courtyard of the former castle turned school.

So much land being purely decorative and not used for farming seemed wasteful to the four, but showed just how rich the school and the citizens of Auradon were. A third of the Isle was wasted with ruins of a former city but no one there was able to demolish the buildings and clear them out for farming; it was one of many things that attributed to the scarcity of food. Some were able to grow things on the roofs, but the infrastructure was not kept up so it was at their own risk to go on the roofs at all. The land that was farmable, it was an arduous task as they weren't given beasts of burden to help them, nor any farming vehicles. It was all done by human power and most couldn't or wouldn't put in the work.

She wondered how long the Isle could last without outside help.

I need to stop thinking about the Isle. It's not my problem anymore.

Mal was glad to finally be able to get out of the car when they reached the courtyard. She was a bit mortified there was a marching band there to welcome them and even some students waving nondescript flags.

This place has an obsession with flags, it's so weird.

The band was playing what they assumed was the school theme song, all decked out in gold and cobalt uniforms, a shield with a bold golden "A" on their breasts with the words "Knights" above it.

They parked in front of a structure that looked like a castle in miniature, turrets with crenellations, royal banners on the sides, and a small topiary garden in front with a statute of a man with a crown. Mal guessed that was King Adam. The other side of the driveway stood a massive cream building, an ornate stone staircase leading towards it. Perhaps one side was the school and the other the dorms.

"Don't worry about your bags, the house goblins will take care of them," the driver told them over his shoulder as he got out.

House goblins?

Mal didn't argue but a part of her was worried about the contraband in her trunk. She hoped the goblins didn't get suspicious of how heavy her trunk was and assumed she packed heavily. She saw the driver speak quietly to who she presumed was Crown Prince Ben, the teen that invited them there. There was also girl in a pink dress with an overlay of gold roses and robin blue cardigan that hung off his side. It seemed she wanted to make quite the impression, the prince was in what looked to be in a simpler outfit, sports coat and khakis. The girl was so dressed up, even had on a thick gold necklace.

I wonder what we did to warrant such a welcome.

Mal was suspicious of them already. The limo, the band, the whole greeting party seemed to be too much for some Isle kids.

A woman in a feminine lavender suit, simple pearl earrings, and a plum bow accompanied the Crown Prince and his date, the only adult they could see besides the driver.

Despite the driver's warning about their bags, Carlos had a stowaway he wouldn't trust to the goblins regardless, and still carried his backpack gently and hoped they were shown their rooms right away.

Perhaps the driver alerted the Crown Prince about their sensitivity to the sun because he motioned for all of them to come into the main entry of the school rather than greet them outside. Mal wondered how long of a procession had he planned because all the marching band members seemed to be disappointed, but given how much they were wearing and how thick their uniforms looked, she thought they ought to be grateful to have gotten out of playing in the direct sun and heat.

All four were grateful to go inside as none of them could believe the difference between the island and mainland Auradon just with the sunlight. The entry into the school was thankfully darker but it was also significantly cooler.

It's mid-August, how could the building feel like it's early spring temperatures?

The entryway was wood paneled and tastefully decorated. Regal staircases with ornate railings, a chandelier over them, and stained glass windows from floor to ceiling that thankfully did not let in as much light as they thought it would. It was dim enough in the entryway they took their shades off. They walked upon plush slate grey carpet that was lusher than even the silks that decorated the Fleur de Pomme, and it was something they walked on. The room was finished off with a grand floor to ceiling fireplace that looked more decorative than useful.

Jay's mind raced with all the things he could steal, his arms automatically reaching for a bronze vase that would fetch a good trade on the island and who knew what on the mainland, he was only stopped from taking it because Carlos whacked him gently on the arm to remind him to be civil, and that they were in polite company.

"Welcome to Auradon Prep," the woman smiled at them, waving her hands dramatically. "I am Nadine FéeMarraine, Headmistress and Professor of Magical History. As I always say, 'If you don't learn from the past, you can't know your future.'"

She did a few more elaborate hand gestures to get her point across, smiling wide and looked slightly crazy in the teens' eyes.

So that's the Fairy Godmother. She doesn't look like she could wield anything to help anyone take over the world. Conjuring a gown, insensible shoes, and a coach looks like the breadth of her talents. But looks can be deceiving. This is the fae that keeps the barrier intact and kept us on that damned island for seventeen years.

Nadine slightly flinched at the apathetic stares the teens gave, not even a polite smile. She was used to a bit more celebrity awe than that. Then she did remember that they were from the Isle of the Lost, an island she helped populate and then imprison with a wave of her wand.

"It's so good to finally meet you all, I'm Ben" Ben greeted, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Crown Prince Benjamin, heir apparent to the United Kingdoms of Auradon," Audrey interrupted and practically sang, reminding everyone present of his proper title. Ben winced for a variety of reasons, mostly embarrassment as he wanted to come off friendly and non-imposing. He didn't want to overwhelm them as he was certain royal protocol was never taught.

"This is Audrey," Ben introduced her, trying to salvage the conversation.

"Princess, Audrey," she stressed her own royal title in case the Isle kids didn't know, again interrupting him. "His girlfriend," she added, smiling widely at them. It always thrilled her to be able to tell people she was dating the Crown Prince of Auradon City and it went without saying she was probably going to be the First Lady of the Court and Queen in the near future.

The four wished they would get on with it, they were freezing and their eyes were still adjusting from nearly going blind.

Audrey must have seen how unimpressed they were and turned to Ben,

"Right, Bennie Boo?"

All four teens couldn't help but snort at the nickname, never had heard something so ridiculous. The snickering was short lived as they all remembered they needed to be polite, but Crown Prince Ben was already blushing a light pink.

Before Ben could get over his embarrassment and answer, Ms. FéeMarraine chimed in,

"His Royal Highness and Audrey are going to show you all around."

Audrey had to pout that Ms. FéeMarraine would use Ben's honorific but not hers. Sometimes she forgot that she was a princess as a courtesy title and nothing more, so the faculty at Auradon Prep didn't have to address her beyond her given name, especially since she was outside her father's kingdom.

"I will see you around, but remember the doors of wisdom are never shut! But the library hours are from eight to eleven and as you may have heard I have a little thing about curfews," Ms. FéeMarraine added quickly, to make sure they would not break the rules.

She didn't know if she ought to be offended that each teen cocked their head and looked to each other as if they weren't sure what she was talking about.

I'm the Fairy Godmother, what do they teach kids on the Isle? Maybe I should have used my more known moniker.

But again, she remembered that the Isle was probably the last place to sing her praise so she made her exit before she embarrassed herself.

Ben took her exit as his cue to try again.

"It is so, so, so good to finally meet…" he came to shake their hands but Jay had given him a rather hard punch to the shoulder, one that knocked the wind out of him for a second. Wondering what he did wrong but by the long haired teen's smile, figured it was a greeting gesture. "…you all," he finished, trying to smile big and be as hospitable as he could.

Next was the purple haired girl, she stood in a power pose the whole time with her hands on her hips. She gave out her hand to shake and he was glad to take it.

He placed his other hand on their held ones, holding her for longer than necessary but he couldn't help but take a moment to get lost in her green eyes. A unique shade he had never seen anywhere else, fae being rare in that part of Auradon. Ms. FéeMarraine was the exception but she and Jane FéeMarraine looked like average humans. Mal was special though, he had never seen someone as beautiful as to rob him of his speech.

He knew those eyes and hair, a memory whispered to him but he couldn't fully recall.

What is he looking at?

Mal wondered, and then wondered what was up with Carlos as he stepped forward and closer than polite.

"This is a momentous occasion," Ben went on, shaking himself out of his stupor and moved on to the next teen. "And one that I hope will go down in history…"

Carlos' eyes were a deep brown, something found in plenty of humans but they jarred Ben by their intensity and he again took longer than customary to greet and move on from one of the Isle teens. The black and white hair teen also had a strong grip, stronger than he had ever encountered before and winced as he tried to escape his clutches.

Ben was so distracted by his throbbing hand he didn't notice Audrey's frown, not the only teen who was unhappy about the exchange.

"…as a day our two peoples began to heal." He finished off with Evie who was by far the friendliest and had a normal handshake. He tried to ignore the blue haired girl's fluttering eyes and Mona Lisa smile, the most her mother would allow.

"Or the day you showed four peoples where the bathrooms are," Mal quipped in a mimicking tone, and did a little twist and turn to break the tension.

Audrey was aghast at how rude the girl was being, thinking she ought to be grateful and kissing her Bennie Boo's feet for even allowing her to step one ugly boot onto Auradon soil.

Ben, however, laughed and gave a genuine amused smile.

"A little over the top?" he guessed, he couldn't agree more but it was the speech he and his advisors prepared.

"A little more than a little bit," she joked with him, glad he wasn't as uptight as she was afraid he was going to be.

"Well so much for my first impression."

Both continued to laugh, glad it wasn't a total disaster. Mal was glad that he wasn't some stuck up royal who would look down on them. He seemed to be an actual nice guy who wanted to help them, something she honestly wasn't expecting.

"Hey, you're Maleficent's daughter aren't you?" Audrey asked, figuring out who was who and not liking the weird vibe she sensed between her boyfriend and the Isle girl.

Ben stared at Audrey, hoping she wasn't about to do what he thought she was.

"Yeah," she went on not letting her answer. "You know what? I totally do not blame you for your mother trying to kill my parents and stuff."

Mal's eyes widened, not believing the princess would do this on their first day and not even after an hour of getting there. She kept her cool as Audrey kept up her fake smiles.

"Oh, my mom's Aurora," as if they couldn't figure that out on their own.

"Sleeping Beauty," they both said simultaneously, Mal's temper starting to fray.

"Yeah, I've heard the name. You know, I totally do not blame you for your great grandfather for trying to invade the Moor, a magical land he had no business in," Mal replied, figuring two could play at that game.

The fake smile and arrogant look falling right off of Audrey's face as she was reminded of her family's part in the story.

"I further don't blame your grandfather for cutting off my mother's wings in order to climb the royal social ladder to become king. How did that happen again? Your great grandfather totally bypassed his own daughter for the throne and gave it to whatever guy, royal or not, could kill Maleficent? That's what your great grandfather sold her for, right? 'Proof of the death of the winged creature?'" Not that he actually did. Clearly."

That bitch.

The princess was incensed, how dare this filthy Isle kid talk about her family with such disrespect. What did she know about royal marriages? She walked closer in what she thought was a menacing manner but Mal stood her ground and was ready to beat the hell out of her first royal.

The other three Isle stepped back, knowing it was about to be a blood bath and hoped that Ben had some princess remover because Audrey was about to stain the perfectly manicured lawn and driveway.

Not even an hour here and we're about to be expelled,

bemoaned Evie but it wasn't like the princess didn't deserve it, so she accepted her fate.

My mother will understand. I'll inherit the brothel; I'll be fine.

"Well that was all a long time ago, right Audrey?" Ben interrupted before things got out of hand. He felt an animalistic anger simmer under his skin, his clothes becoming hot and almost unbearable. His fingers itched as if his nails wanted to erupt from the tips. He couldn't believe Audrey had the audacity to behave in such a way. He kept his breathing even, keeping his anger at bay.

Sensing her boyfriend was upset, she let it go.

"Water under the bridge," she sang, smiled as big as she could to placate Ben.

Mal rolled her eyes but said nothing, sort of disappointed she couldn't at least get one punch in, to wipe that arrogant smirk off of Audrey's perfect pink princess face.

"But just to give you a warning, there are several kids from noble families that go here. Cinderella's son…"

"But we're all normal ordinary people, nothing to be nervous about," Ben tried to be assuring, wishing his girlfriend would just shut up.

"Who all happen to be children of Kings and Queens?" Mal asked, trying to get their easy camaraderie back before Audrey ruined it.

"That's true!" Audrey would not stay quiet. "Our royal blood goes back hundreds of years," she boasted as she tried to put Ben's arm around her, to further drive home that they were together. Clearly these girls from the Isle needed reminding.

Crown Prince Ben wasn't having it, getting impatient with Audrey's passive aggressive behavior and took his arm back. She tried not to flinch and show the island kids her feelings were bruised.

"On your mother's side, right? Unless Stefan was prince of the sheep, I don't think he had any real royal connection other than defrauding a dying king into kingship," Mal bit vindictively.

If Audrey had any magical blood, Mal would have hit the floor dead with her deathly look. She was further infuriated that her three brutish friends were all smirking and trying not to laugh.

Carlos loved it when Mal cut mean girls down to size. He smiled at Audrey as to say,

You fucked with the wrong fae, bitch.

"Doug!" Ben was never so happy to see a band member as he was certain another snide comment from either girl was going to start a blood war.

"Guys, this is Doug Albern. He is going to help you with your class schedules, escort you to your uniform fittings, and then to medical."

"Medical?" Carlos asked, not liking the sound of that.

"Yes, just a routine physical. Make sure you guys are all up to date with vaccinations and all. It's school policy," Ben said apologetically, knowing he hated visiting the doctor as much as the next guy.

"Doug, will also show you around campus," Ben cut in before Audrey could make some cruel remark about visiting a doctor. He also knew there were little to no medical facilities on the Isle, so it very well may be each teen's first doctor's visit. In addition to vaccines, he needed to know if they were healthy and what state they are in given the harsh life of the island.

"So if you have any questions…"

"Ask Doug," Audrey interrupted him, not wanting the Isle kids, especially the purple haired one, to be near Ben unnecessarily.

"I'll see you later, ok?" he officially said to all of them but his eyes zoned in on Mal.

Audrey had enough and forcefully took Ben, they had student council duties and they were going to be late.

Doug looked at his clip board, not sure why the situation got awkward and he started to regret volunteering. But he had college applications to bulk up and no royal parents to donate a tourney field to get him in.

"I'm Doug," he repeated, certain they had forgotten his name already. They always did. He finally got a good look at the four and was he surprised at how attractive all of them were. They were sizing him up, which didn't take long as he was short of stature as a dwarf. He felt a bit like they were considering whether or not to eat him.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting, but the beautiful girl with deep azure hair sauntering up to him wasn't it.

Evie smirked, boys were so easy and she was certain she was going to have a great time at Auradon Prep.

"I'm Evie," she introduced herself in a deep sultry voice, Jay grinning in the background. While most would be jealous of their girlfriend flirting, he always thought it was hilarious as she never took any of them seriously.

Poor bastard

Mal and Carlos chuckled almost evilly as well, Evie always entertaining when she strung a boy along.

"So your classes," his voice broke and he tried to remain calm. "You all will need to take placement test for most of them, but there are a few electives you might be interested in: History of Woodsmen and Pirates, Safety Rules for the Internet, Art…" he trailed off when Mal came closer and bent down to read his list. He had never been so close to two beautiful girls and couldn't help but stare at them, wide eyed and afraid to speak less his voice break some more.

All of them look like they could kick my ass no problem.

Doug wondered what it meant that he liked the idea more than he thought he ought to.

He immediately looked away and down when he caught Carlos' stare and instinctively knew he had done something wrong.

"I'll take art," Mal said, not noticing the exchange between Doug and her boyfriend. It was the first time she felt like she just might like Auradon Prep and was excited about the prospect of a class that consisted solely of art.

"Right, awesome," Doug noted it but backed away to keep his distance and tried to make it seem natural and casual. "Let me show you to your dorms, you'll probably want to rest a bit and get settled before all the boring administrative stuff."

"Lead the way Doug," Mal commanded, the other three getting behind her.

He walked through the cavernous dorm, the four never seeing such a grand house and couldn't believe it used to be someone's residence.

"This used to be King Adam's country home before he converted into a school."

He rattled a few more facts about the school and he hadn't heard any of them for a few minutes. He suddenly stopped and turned, wondering if they had wandered off or ditched him.

He was startled when he bumped into them, they were right behind him the whole time and they weren't prepared for him to stop so suddenly. He mumbled an apology, wondering how they were so light footed, he didn't hear them at all. That made the four all that more unsettling.

"So Auradon Prep pretty much houses and teaches every royal child in the UKA," Doug started the tour again.

"And whose royal child are you?" Mal asked, curious and with no malice. She tried to think of what stories she had heard of any royal dwarves but none were coming to mind.

"No ones, I'm one of the few scholarship kids. My dad got an in with Snow White as my sponsor but I had to take all these tests and stuff to qualify."

None of them were exactly sure what a scholarship was (Dragon Hall open to anyone on the Isle), but it sounded like Doug wasn't the normal type to go to Auradon so maybe they could find a friend in a fellow outsider. But if his father was an associate with Snow White, and given his stature then that meant he was probably a son or nephew of one of the "Famous Seven." If true, then they were surprised given how much the Seven helped a Queen of a territory of Auradon that Doug would need a special recommendation. The school ought to have thrown an acceptance letter at him.

"You guys came at a good time, it's before the rush of students come during move-in week."

"Not all the students are already here?" Evie asked, wondering how there were so many to welcome them if school hadn't started.

"No, only the student council, marching band, and athletes get early access to the school. Try outs for sports and the band get early practice for tourney games. Student council meets to vote on stuff. School officially starts in two weeks."

"What's tourney?" Jay cut in, liking the sound of sports.

"It's Auradon's most popular sport. I'm not super familiar with it as I don't play, but there's a ball you move around with sticks, the players have to get it into a goal while holding a shield and racing past the 'kill zone' where they can be pelted with air cannon balls. There's a bunch of rules of when you can throw the ball to get into the goal and how many steps you can take when you have the ball. Once it's time for dinner, I can introduce you to some of the other band members, they know more than me. There's soccer if you prefer. There's also cross-country, rowing, and dressage for fall sports. Basketball and swords and shields for winter. Baseball and track in the spring. So here is your room, ladies. This is an en-suite, so you get your own bathroom."

"Where's our room?" Carlos asked, assuming he'd be sharing with Jay and hoping it was close by.

"The boy's dorm is one floor up. You guys can visit each other's rooms, but if there is co-ed occupation you have to keep the doors open and no visitations after curfew."

Each of the four wore matching confused faces, wondering why they had such weird rules.

"It's to make sure no one's tempted to have sex," he volunteered the answer to their unasked question, shrugging his shoulders as it was a stupid rule as if they weren't tempted to have sex regardless. At least, he spoke for himself.

"Why?"

Doug wasn't sure what he didn't understand and didn't know how to answer. Didn't every adult ever not want teenagers to be tempted into sex?

"This is great, we'll see you guys in an hour?" Mal avoided the conversation since Doug clearly was not going to explain things.

"Yes, in an hour I'll come and get you guys for your uniform fitting and show you more around campus. I'll then take you guys to administration to work out placement test schedules and then there is medical to finish," he rambled out, wondering if maybe it was too much to do in one day. But it was the schedule Crown Prince Ben had set, so he was going to follow it.

The girls waved the boys goodbye, taking in their spacious dorm and wondering if all the other kids got something so nice. Besides fitting two people comfortably, there was enough room for each to have their own desks and a large screen tv donned the wall. There was a perfect view of the gardens and it was well lit with natural light. They wondered if they would get used to the amount of light but both girls quickly pulled the curtains so they wouldn't have to put their sunglasses back on.

The four poster beds with rose print canopies were cloud soft, finer than even the beds at Fleur de Pomme. There was a welcome basket of goodies for them, waiting on their bed. It looked like shower supplies and the school handbook.

There was also a basket of food, thankfully not what was in the limo. It looked to be real food, a cheese spread, bread, and even dried meats.

"They are pulling out all the stops if they're serving meat," Evie cooed as she helped herself.

Meat only being eaten on special occasions on the Isle and to only those who could either afford it or knew how to hunt.

"Go, take a shower," Mal dismissed Evie while they finished their food, who had looked like she would just die if she didn't get to shower first. Running water was a rarity on the Isle, most having to get their water from a well. Bathing was a chore in itself when they had to haul the water to their tub and wait for it to warm. They had heard about showers and always wondered what it would be like to have constant hot water they could get with just the turn of a tap.

Evie squealed in excitement, gathering her shower things and running to the shower before Mal changed her mind.

Mal decided to kick off her boots and plopped onto the bed. She idly took the book and started to read and nibbled on crackers, wondering how many rules could there be for it to be so thick.

It wasn't until she got to the "Moral Standards" section did she understand why Doug was so confused.

"What?!"


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