A/N: This is considerably shorter chapter, but I hope this works for you!
Enjoy!
"We received a communique from the Enchanted Forest." EJ looked tired, his eyes were bloodshot and his hair a mess – quite unseemly for a prince. But to be fair his valet was now patrolling the coast of Okeanos protecting their homeland. It had been six weeks since Prince Ben had gone missing and there were constant reports of villainy around the edges of Auradon, most of them were jumpy.
"Saying?" Audrey was sat in the meeting, as were most of the junior royalty. All except for Blanche, who still hadn't shown up with either her parents or any troops.
"They've been snowed in, all of the passes used by the Forest dwellers have been closed up with snow, they suspect another trick akin to the one off Charmington." EJ reread the letter and sighed.
"At least they're alive and fighting though." Lonnie shed her armour and ran her fingers across the map. As neighbours to the Enchanted Forest, she thought of offering up able bodies to help clear the Shandao pass but knew that all able bodies were marching south to help locate the still missing Prince Ben.
There had been another attack on Auradon yesterday and all were reeling from it, EJ in particular. Ursula and her squalling minions had attacked Okeanos yesterday and had almost made it far enough in land to reach his home, until the assembling soldiers pushed them back into the sea. It had been touch and go for some time and EJ had finally seen the monster that had almost destroyed his mother's happiness. She was fierce and she was vicious, she'd injured many as she pushed her way inland but it had been Prince Eric himself that had forced the sea witch back into the heaving waves.
It had been a long and horrid battle, and in truth Auradon was reeling from the sudden attacks. There was barely time to gather one's thoughts before another problem floated into the rooms of royalties.
Like now for instance.
"Charmington has fallen." Cindy burst into the room and Chad caught his mother as she fell to her knees. "Tremaine." She gasps. "Lady Tremaine has taken my castle." She screeches. And there is a pregnant pause as all of the royalty assembled looked at one another in horror. Chad has no words of comfort for his mother and is pale from her admission.
"Now what." He says woodenly and no-one can provide answers.
~Isle~
"How can you have done this?!" Maleficent is raging. She is still on the Isle and she is now fuming at Ursula, who is looking somewhat cowed at the furious sorceress before her. "You have put the entire plan in jeopardy because you failed to take control of Okeanos." She seethed. "Give me one reason why I should not serve your children up as calamari at the next dinner." She looms over the stubby sea witch.
"It's not like I saw you offering help." Ursula suddenly hissed back and Maleficent is taken aback. "You remain here in your paltry castle instead of helping with your magic as you should!" Ursula snaps and is surprised to see a smile flit across the fairy's face.
"Now that's more like it. I was concerned that the reason we lost on the field at Okeanos was because you were scared…." Maleficent gave a wide smile and Ursula was unsure of the sorceress' next move; it wasn't exactly a secret that the woman was a little loopy. "Your attack helped the Tremaines' secure Okeanos' neighbour, Charmington has now fallen. Prepare yourself witch… for tomorrow we attack Schöne."