Petitioning the council of the Elders.

Mal had filled Harriet in on what was going on, at least as much as she needed to know. So when Mal and Harriet took their seats at the table, the first Wednesday of Feburary, they were ready to make their presentation. Harriet more than happily agreed to co-sponsor the request to speak. The roll was called and everyone was present.

"Good evening. Welcome to our February meeting." Ben started. "We will go over old business."
It was over an hour of old business before they finished, and got into new business. "New business, first on the agenda. Mal and Harriet."
"Thank you Your Majesty." Harriet said. "I will allow Mal to represent our point tonight." Ben nodded.

"Thank you. I want to speak to you tonight to discuss the funding of the continued education of the children from the isle. Up until now King Adam has personally provided the funding for the education of myself and my friends. And we 6 greatly appreciate that. But it is not something we would like to have him continue, at least not alone. I am proposing a sponsorship."
"Of you 6?" Tiana asked.

"Yes, you may choose one of us, or you may choose another child who will be brought over in the fall."
"All to Auradon Prep?" Jasmine asked.

"No, I don't think it has to be restricted to A.P. If you want to, and your local prep school or Academy are willing to accept a student from the isle, I don't see why not."
"How do we choose?" Rapunzel asked.

"We will provide a list of age eligible children. We are trying to choose students who will be here for more than one year." Mal added. "You may choose to sponsor a specific student, or just make a donation to the scholarship fund at AP."
"But we can designate it to a specific student if we so choose?" Aurora asked. "Will that student know?"
"That is your choice as to remain anonymous or not. The school committee is responsible for the distribution of the funds. But if you choose to sponsor a child specifically, you will be responsible for that student's bill and it won't go through the committee for distribution, they will be alerted that one of the isle children's bills have been paid. You will just contact the school and tell Fairy Godmother you are sponsoring said student and they will forward you the bill, she will notify the committee that, that student is all set. I know at Auradon Prep one full year, with room and board is 15,000."
"Which council members sit with the school committee?" Ariel asked.

"Myself, Aurora and Mal." Flynn stated. "I have been thinking about this issue since our meeting last week, and Mal I have to say you have come up with an excellent suggestion. You can count Rapunzel and I in on sponsoring a student. We will decided who when we see the list. I think we will choose AP as well, seeing as though our Ruby is there."
"Mal?" Ben asked. "Is there a need for this year to be covered?" He put in just to give acknowledgement to his father.
"No sire. You father has taken care of this year."
"And will take care of next for you six if need be." Adam stated.
"I will cover Evie's for the rest of her time." Snow white added.

"We would love to cover Jay's." Came Aladdin. Jasmine nodded.

"Thank you all." Mal smiled.

"Anyone else can contact the school committee and once we see what we have for money, we will decide how many new children will be brought over next year." Ben said. "Or which children are sponsored. I will have a list of age eligible students and if there is any other background information you'd like I will provide what I can as well."
The rest of the meeting went along with a few minor points of new business. After the meeting Mal and Harriet were talking with Belle and Snow White when Ben joined them. "You did great Mal." He said kissing her cheek. "That went way better than I thought."
"Me too." Mal agreed. Belle and Snow walked off. "I had a feeling Snow would step up and take on Evie's education."
"I did too. I wasn't surprised to see Jasmine and Aladdin take on Jay's either. Dad still plans to put the 90,000 in so that means there is tuition for at least two right there, for a year at least."
"Do you think he will want to choose the students?"
"No, he won't care. But I think I have a feeling Rapunzel will want to sponsor a child of Mother Gothel."
"Ginny, she's going to be a junior next year. Not sure if Mother Gothel will let her go."
"Do you think Aurora will pick someone, or put in money? I ask only because she was asking about anonymous donations."
"No idea."
"Oh, well we will see what happens."

The following week Mal sat down with the school committee, Ben, Flynn and Aurora.

"We have good news. There has been a huge influx of funding into the isle kids scholarship. We have had donations to specifically cover, Evie and Jays tuition by Snow White and Jasmine, as you are aware. WE have also had two anonymous donations to cover Mal and Freddie's." The Chairwoman of the school committee said. Also King Adam donated 90,000 to pay for whatever of the original 4 plus the two new students, isn't covered. That means as of right now we have money for 1 year for 4 new children. Flynn?"
"Yes, and Rapunzel and I want to know, Mal, does Mother Gothel have a child eligible?"
"Ginny. She is 16 now, so in the fall she will be a junior. You may have an issue with getting Mother Gothel to agree. She is even more over protective of Ginny than she was of your wife."
"Well we will make the offer, if not we will sponsor two years tuition to anyone of the committees choosing."
"Who does the choosing?" Aurora asked.

"Well up until now, I choose the first four. Mal and her friends choose Harriet and Freddie. Mother insisted on the twins." Ben pointed out.
"So kids are making the choices?" Aroura asked.
"I asked Mal and her friends for their advice, knowing they would know who needed it most."
"I would say that's a good choice, Aurora." Flynn pointed out.

"I don't mind. I was just asking." She smiled at Flynn.

At the end of the meeting Mal had agreed to take some time along with her friends and write up what they could about the eligible kids they would recommend to come over next, along with a little something about Ginny for Rapunzel and Flynn. Ben had a few minutes before his next meeting so Mal joined him in his office. "Do you have any idea who paid for mine?"
"I have an idea."
"Aurora?"
"Yeah, that was my thoughts too. I think Tiana paid for Freddie too. I heard her asking the chairwoman for the contact information."
"Should I say something?"
"No, let it go for now. If she wanted you to know, she will tell you. I think it's about guilt Mal."
"That's what I was afraid of."
"Well think of it as her money was donated to another kid and Dad paid for yours if that makes you feel better."
"I guess. So I guess we can choose another 4 for next year."
"Guess so. Well that means for now we have 5 coming over if Mother allows Ginny."

"Before I forget. Your ring will be ready next week. They are trying to fix the prong still." He paused thinking how to talk about it. "We didn't really celebrate it last year, as it was all a mess, but next Tuesday is Sweetheart day. And since we are a committee of two, Sara Beth cleared my schedule for the night. So I was planning a date for that night."
"Now that's something we haven't had in a while." She said only half teasingly and half serious.
"I know, that's why I wanted to plan one, especially on sweetheart day."
"Sweetheart day?"
"Yes. A day for lovers. Well people who love each other." Mal laughed at his choice of words.

"I would love anything you have planned." She kissed him.