Hi Guys. So here it is! Chapter 7. Apologies for the slight wait but please remember that xez and I do have personal lives outside of writing. The main thing is THE CHAPTER IS HERE and trust me when I say its LONG lol. As always a MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE THANK YOU to my ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL beta xez2003 for your OUT OF THIS WORLD editing. And of course a HUGE HUGE thank you to all readers for ALL your reads, reviews, follows and fav's. Well that is all onto the chapter!
DISCLAMER: I DO NOT OWN DESCENDANTS ALL RIGHTS GO TO DISNEY ANY DIOLOGE YOU RECONISE BELONGS TO DISNEY I OWN NOTHING! I also DO NOT own ANY lyric's to 'Its Going Down' that are seen in this chapter all rights to the song go to its RIGHTFUL OWNERS!
Ben's taking a while. Mal thought absentmindedly as she slowly continued spray painting the wall of their hideout, feeling the stress of the last few months finally start to fade away. She suddenly stopped, staggering a few steps back dropping the spray can from her hand, as she was overwhelmed by an intense burning sensation in her neck and chest. 'BEN!' her instincts seemed to cry out in horror as she fingered her mark. Something is wrong with him! she thought in panic as she raced out of the room and down the steps.
"Guys! Where's Ben?" she asked frantically as soon as she met Evie, Jay and Carlos outside.
"He and Hailey went off to talk. Why?" Evie replied, concern taking over her eyes as she noticed her best friend's frantic state.
"He's in trouble. We have to go. now!" she cried as she turned to bolt down the alley.
"That won't be necessary." A snickering voice suddenly rang out behind them, causing them to stop and spin around in the direction of the voice.
"Harry!" Jay growled, as the pirate came into view, grinning cockily as he strutted down towards them.
"What did you do to Ben, you psychopathic pirate scum?!" Mal screamed as she lunged at him, only to be held back by Jay.
"You wound me love!" Harry pretended to pout, grinning, as he pressed a hand to his heart.
"And where's Hailey?" Jay asked, still keeping a firm grip on a struggling Mal.
"Oh…we nicked the both of them." Harry replied with an even wider grin. "And if you want to see the two of them again, Mal will come alone to the Chip Shop tonight. Uma wants a little visit." Harry grinned at them confidently one last time before turning and slinking away, knowing that they couldn't touch him.
Mal angrily ripped herself out of Jay's grip and stormed back up the steps of the hideout, the others scrambling behind her.
"Mal we-" Jay tried to say but Mal interrupted him.
"If you guys had never brought her here this never would have happened! What were you thinking?" Mal cried angrily as she strapped on her back up daggers. "Ben and I were just fine until Hailey showed up."
"Mal, Hailey was going to come with or without us. We just wanted to protect her." Evie tried to defend the group.
"Yeah and we completely blew it." Carlos replied turning to look at Evie.
"Okay. So what do we do now?" Jay cut in.
"We are not doing anything!" Mal snapped, turning around to face them. "This is between Uma and me and she's a punk and guess what? Now I have to go get Ben and Hailey back." Mal started to head towards the door.
"Whoa! Whoa! Mal! I know you are upset, and we are sorry, but you can't just go storming over there without a plan. We need to think this through." Jay said as he rushed to stand in front of the door, stopping Mal.
"Jay! Get out of my way. You know how much Harry hates Ben!" Mal replied, her voice cracking. "There is no time to lose"
"I know and we will get them back, I promise. But we need a plan." Jay said gently as he turned her away from the door. "You still have to get through Harry and the Wharf Rats. You're gonna need us."
"Uma said to come alone." Mal replied shaking her head. She just could not risk Ben's or Hailey's safety. All Uma had to do was send a message back to the ship and they were both dead.
"Mal come on..." Evie said, concern lacing her voice.
"She said to come alone." Carlos said, agreeing with Mal. "I know one thing. I'm not going anywhere." he said, flopping down on the couch.
"We'll be here when you get back." Jay told her with a defeated sigh as Mal walked out of the door.
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"I'm back" Mal drawled as she entered, pushing the doors of Ursula's Shop, just like they did in the old western movies that Hailey had once shown her.
"Loser party of one right this way please!" Uma called sarcastically, pushing a chair forward for her to sit.
"Where are they?" Mal asked in a clipped voice as she sat down glaring at Uma who chuckled in return.
"You know I've dreamed of this…you wanting something from me and me watching you squirm like a worm on a hook."
"I'm so flattered that you dream of me. I haven't given you a thought since I left" Mal replied sarcastically.
Uma slammed her hands on the table. "Obviously!" she retorted angrily. "You have the perfect little life don't you?"
Mal fought not to roll her eyes at the comment. If Uma had only known what she had been through! Her life in Auradon had been anything but perfect. In fact if Uma really wanted her life over there, she was honestly happy to trade it. But she pushed those thoughts aside as she looked at Uma square in the eyes. "You want to mess with me? Game on! But I see no need to bring Ben or Hailey into this!"
Uma grinned. "It may be a little over the top…but it is so much fun. Here's the deal."
"Just like your mother, always a catch."
Uma chuckled and put her arm in a wrestling position on the table. "You win…Ben and Hailey are free to go."
Mal smirked confidently and grasped Uma's hand tightly as the rest of the pirates surrounded the duo.
"Don't you wanna know what I get if I win?" Uma taunted.
"You seem to be under the impression you're going to!" Mal retorted as they start to wrestle.
Uma laughed. "Last I heard your mother thought she had it all planned out. How did that work out for her?" Uma taunted in an effort to distract Mal, who just simply rolled her eyes at the comment. "You know you can stick a tiara and dress on a villain but you always be a villain." she gloated.
"And you can put on a pirate hat but you're still Shrimpy!" Mal snapped, her eyes glowing a bright green as she started winning.
"Oh by the way Harry is having so much fun with Ben." Uma mocked, her smirk growing wider as Mal's grip faltered slightly and with one swift movement she rapidly slammed Mal's hand to the side winning the match. Uma grinned as she stood up cheering. "And now…bring me Fairy Godmother's magic wand …to my ship tomorrow at twelve noon. And if you try anything you can kiss your baby goodbye!" she threatened as she walked away.
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Evie moved her arms as she stirred and slowly opened her eyes. I must have dozed off. She wondered dazily as she reoriented herself, remembering where she was and struggled to get up from one of the couches of Mal's hideout. After Mal had returned from Ursula's Fish Shop, explaining what happened, Jay and Carlos went back to Auradon with the intention of creating a fake wand while Mal and she had visited Dizzy and prepared the smokebombs they needed for distraction. Once they had got back to the hideout, all that was left for them to do was sit and wait and that is when Evie had tried convincing Mal that she needed to rest for the following day's confrontation with Uma. Mal had silently nodded and joined her on the couch. But as Evie looked around worriedly, Mal was nowhere in sight. She then decided to stand up and look for her. "Mal!" she called out but there was no answer. She had walked just a few metres towards the bedrooms when she suddenly spotted a light coming from just under the door of Ben's old room. She slowly pushed open the door, her eyes softening in relief as she found Mal curled up in a tight ball on Ben's old bed, wearing what seemed to be one of his old shirts.
"Mal!" she called again, this time more gently so as not to startle her. "What are you doing here?" she continued asking her when Mal did not turn to answer. Evie sighed heavily as she approached the side of the bed and sat down next to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We are going to get him back, Mal. And also Hailey I promise!" Evie told her confidently. Mal did not move and Evie shifted uncomfortably as silence once again filled the room. Evie bit her cheek not knowing what to do when suddenly Mal spoke up.
"You know he took me to see his mother's grave today, E?" Mal whispered in a low voice as she looked up and lifted tormented eyes to look up at Evie. "And you know what I did?" she asked, pausing as a wayward tear made its way down her cheek. "I made a promise to his mother, Evie…A promise…I promised that I would always protect him. That I would not let anyone harm him!" she paused again as more tears started falling. "I failed her, E. Some protector I turned out to be!"
Evie pulled Mal in a tight embrace, who feeling overwhelmed, finally let the heaving sobs and heavy tears overcome her and just come as they pleased. Evie just held her tightly as Mal let out all of the pent up fear and emotions she had kept hidden inside her since Ben and Hailey had been taken. "I'm so scared, Evie" She whimpered as her tears continued to fall. "What if…if…Uma…I can't lose him or Hailey!"
"You won't lose either of them Mal!" Evie reassured her with a little smile, gazing at her confidently as she broke the hug. "Remember that Uma needs them as leverage to get the wand. She will not dare harm them in any way. Trust me!"
"But this is Uma we are talking about!" Mal retorted in a frightened tone. "She has had it against me since we were kids. And tell me what about Harry?"
"Calm down, Mal. You know Harry follows Uma around like a puppy. He will not dare go against her orders. And as I said Uma needs Hailey and Ben as bargaining chips. And besides you know that Ben is strong and I am sure that he will be able to handle himself until we can show up to free him. And once we save him, you can give him a big lecture and kick his butt for letting himself get captured by Uma." Evie continued with a reassuring smile, as Mal let out a little giggle. "But you know something, M." Evie paused, turning serious. "He is counting on you but you will not be able to help either him or Hailey if you can barely stand on your feet. So what about trying to get a few hours of sleep. I can stay here with you if you like." Mal silently nodded in response, wiping the last of her tears before slowly lying down. Evie switched off the light and lay down next to her, reaching out to gently hug her rubbing her back.
"Thank you, E." Mal whispered softly as her breathing evened out and exhaustion finally claimed her.
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Consciousness slowly began to return to Ben in disjointed images. He tried to move his head and blink his eyes open but the movement only intensified the pain in his head. A groan escaped his throat as he tried to get his eyes to cooperate and stay open but they closed shut. There were voices around him but they sounded jumbled, none of them making any sense to him. But a sense of urgency began to form in his muddled mind. He needed to wake up. There was something important going on around him and it was nagging at the back of his head.
Ben tried to shift his position and his sense of touch slowly began to return. He was upright and as awareness returned he felt his back resting against something hard. He tried bringing his hands up to rub his face but they felt heavy and unresponsive. He opened his eyes again and this time the shadows began to take shape, even though the edges were still a little blurry. Ben persisted and managed to keep them open long enough for his vision to finally began clearing. As the incessant pounding of his head started to subdue, it allowed him to focus on his surroundings. He tried to move his hands again and realized that the reason he couldn't move them was that they were bound behind him. He tried to free himself but what felt like heavy tight metal cuffs dug into his wrists. He then looked down at himself and discovered that thick ropes were also woven around his torso, further restricting his movements.
A soft familiar voice called out his name and Ben gingerly lifted his head up and spotted Hailey tied to a ship's mast across from him. He looked around warily as his memories finally returned, realizing that they were aboard the Lost Revenge.
"Are you alright, Hailey?" He asked. She nodded, the look of relief on her face at seeing him awake suddenly replaced by fear as she looked past Ben's shoulder.
"Well, well, well! The sleeping beast is finally awake." Harry grinned as he slinked over.
"Harry!" Ben snarled. "What do you want from us? Let us go!" He demanded as he struggled against the ropes securing him to the ship's main mast.
"I can't do that I am afraid." He smirked with an evil glint in his eyes. "You are our insurance that Mal will keep her end of the deal and bring us Fairy Godmother's wand."
A low growl escaped Ben's throat. "You are delusional, Harry. Mal will never give you the wand and let you destroy Auradon." Ben retorted angrily as he continued struggling to free himself. "And I swear I'm going to kick your butt when I get out of this!"
"I would like to see you try breaking out of those metal cuffs." Harry taunted, smirking. "You see we learned the lesson from our last fight." He paused before bringing his hook threateningly just under his chin. "We might have been stuck on this Isle but we have still watched you and Mal very closely. And you know what else we have learned? That the great invincible Mal has actually two weaknesses." He paused as his smile grew even wider. "Our dear esteemed Queen here but most importantly…you. She will do anything to have you both back unharmed, including bringing us the wand. It is a shame though that she will not get to see you again anyway…Well…you know how sometimes unforeseen accidents can happen." Harry grinned menacingly at Ben. "I've been waiting for this moment for far too long. Finally I have the opportunity to rid myself of you once and for all and then I will have Mal all to myself. Yes she will be heartbroken for a while but guess who will be there to comfort her? Me!"
"Leave. Mal. Out. Of. This!" Ben snarled angrily as his eyes flashed. "You must have really lost your mind if you think for even one second that she could ever fall for a pathetic excuse of a pirate with a fake hook like you. You are just the son of a reptile fearing, three-limbed lunatic. She will never be yours!"
Ben's comment struck a nerve and before he could brace himself, Harry backhanded him with such force that his head hit the back of the mast with a loud crack. Pain shot through his head as his vision began to darken around the edges. Ben dropped his head forward and rested it on his chest for a moment. As the dull throbbing at the back of his skull slowly began to diminish he raised his head back up. Ben could feel blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he stared defiantly at Harry.
"Oh! Is that the best you've got?" He challenged. "You know that the only reason you can do that is because I'm tied up. Everyone knows you're just too scared to go against me one on one."
"Ben, I wouldn't antagonize him." Hailey suddenly spoke up, a tremble clearly heard in her voice.
"Don't worry Hailey. You heard him. He can't do anything to us for now. He needs us as bait." Ben reassured her.
"Yes but that doesn't mean you need to be in one piece." He threatened.
"That's enough Harry!" Uma barked as she walked up to them. "We don't want damaged goods…for now."
"But you said that I could hook him!" Harry growled before backing off.
"I said at noon." Uma said firmly as she glanced at Ben with a malignant smile. "Besides, you could at least wait for the guest of honour to arrive so she can have a front seat view to watch the show." She snickered evilly at Ben before turning to address Hailey.
"Uma…you know…if you wanted to talk to me there was no need for all of this." Hailey tried to start.
"Yeah well it seems that only some special VKs get your attention these days, Your Majesty." Uma snapped angrily. "Those same VKs that are enjoying a new life in Auradon and have all forgotten about their loyally to the Isle…the place where they came from. And meanwhile you have left us here to rot. This Island is a prison thanks for your father, your Majesty!"
"You have some nerve to speak about loyalty, Shrimpy?!" Ben suddenly snarled. "You didn't seem to care very much about loyalty between VKs when you tried to drown Mal all those years ago!"
"Harry!" Uma yelled angrily, her eyes blazing. "Shut him up. I've had enough of him."
"With pleasure, my captain." Harry replied gleefully as he reached out to grab Gil's bandanna from his head.
"Hey!" Gil complained, clearly irritated but he shut his mouth instantly as Harry shot him a stern look. Harry then turned to Ben and tied the bandanna tightly around his mouth gagging him, patting his cheek mockingly when he was finished. Then in a blink of an eye, he abruptly bend down and punched Ben hard in the stomach, who let out a muffled cry of pain. He leaned forward as much as his bindings allowed him to, as he tried to catch his breath.
"That was for insulting my captain!" Harry whispered smugly as he bent forward to speak close to Ben's ear.
"Ben!" Hailey shouted worriedly. "Ben!" She held her breath and let out a relieved sigh when Ben gingerly straightened himself a moment later and gave her a little nod, indicating that he was fine. "Uma, stop this, please. If you just wanna talk, leave Ben alone. I am here. Let's talk!" she said gently.
"Harry, leave us alone." Uma ordered, before returning to address Hailey. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be stuck here?" she asked her.
"No but Uma you have to believe me. The five VKs I picked weren't the only ones I planned to have come over. I needed more time…I just got carried away with my new duties. I know it is no excuse but I am so so sorry!" she replied gently. "Uma, you are a leader. So am I. Together we can do good things for the Isle. Let us go and we can go to Auradon together."
"So now I get an invite! I wonder why?" Uma retorted sarcastically. "I don't need you, your Majesty! I will get there on my own and make everyone pay for leaving us behind on this forsaken Isle. Very soon I will have the wand and no one will be able to stand in my way." She paused, her eyes blazing in anger as she gazed intensely at Hailey. "Harry! Keep an eye on them. We wouldn't want them getting away just before the start of the show now would we." she ordered before turning away to leave the main deck.
As the morning dragged on, the heavy and thick air which characterised the Isle started having its effect on the bound prisoners on the Lost Revenge, particularly Hailey, who not being used to it, started to breathe heavily and sweat profusely, despite the lack of direct sunlight. Ben let out a muffled panicked cry, getting Harry's attention as he nudged his head in Hailey's direction as she suddenly bowed her head forward on the verge of losing consciousness. Harry approached her and lifted her head up from her chest with his hook to look into her eyes. "Some water please." She pleaded in a soft raspy voice. Harry gazed at Hailey for a long minute, debating whether or not to grant her request. Then he suddenly smirked evilly, before leaving the deck and returning a minute later with two large glasses of water. He brought one of the glasses to Hailey's lips, who gulped down the liquid in an instant. The drink of water seemed to work wonders and a moment later Hailey looked up and smiled reassuringly at Ben, who visibly relaxed at seeing her feeling better. "Thank you." She then addressed Harry.
Harry didn't acknowledge her as he turned to face Ben smugly, holding the other glass in front of him. "Are you thirsty, Beasty boy?" Ben, still gagged, glared at him unable to answer, as sweat dripped down his forehead. "What happened? Cat cut your tongue?" Harry continued to taunt him. "Oh well, suit yourself. It is a hot day and I am actually quite thirsty myself. Wouldn't want to waste such a refreshing drink." Harry locked gazes with Ben before drinking the glass himself and letting out a triumphant evil laugh as he walked away.
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The excitement in the air could be felt aboard the Lost Revenge as noon approached. Uma, flanked by Harry and Anthony had returned on the main deck while Gil stood in the ship's crow nest scanning the surroundings for any sign of Mal.
"Hey guys!" he suddenly called. "They're here!"
Uma smirked "Harry! Anthony!"
Harry cut the ropes binding Ben to the main mast in one swift movement and got a strong hold of his arm. "Don't get any funny ideas, Beast boy!" he warned, whispering in his ear. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to our dear Queen, now would you?" he threatened before violently shoving Ben forward, who stumbled, nearly losing his balance. Anthony did the same to Hailey and together they dragged them over to the ship's plank.
Uma stood on the main deck, smiling wickedly as Mal made her way down the wooden pier followed by the other VKs. Mal continued walking confidently until she reached the bridge connecting the pier to the ship and stopped, her eyes narrowing as she gazed at Uma.
"Welcome!" Harry cried.
Mal tried to keep a stoic and passive face, maintaining direct eye contact with Uma. But she could not help herself as she instinctively stole a quick side glance in Ben's direction. Her resolve instantly crumbled and she was unable to hide her relieved expression at seeing him unharmed. He tried to reassure her with a little nod, their eyes locking for a brief instant.
Uma grinned evilly as she noticed the silent exchange. "Harry!" she cried. "Bring Ben over here." She suddenly ordered. Harry complied, leaving Hailey on the plank, and led Ben over to Uma before shoving him forward. Ben lost his footing and fell to his knees with a loud thud beside her. Uma smirked as she got hold of his hair and yanked his head back before bringing out a dagger and holding it to his neck. Mal was unable to control the whimper that escaped her throat and Uma cackled loudly.
"Let get this party started." She sang gleefully as she released Ben, motioning to Anthony and Gil to guard him as she took a few steps forward towards Mal. Anthony and Gil brought out their swords over either side of his neck, the blades crossing perilously close to his throat.
Ben stayed perfectly still, mindful of the sword blades dangerously close to his exposed skin. He angrily watched, helpless, as he was used as leverage while Uma and Mal stood off against each other, suddenly wishing he was able to summon and control his beast form, even though that would have meant finally revealing his true self to Hailey and the other VKs. He snapped out of his thoughts and a muffled groan escaped his throat, his eyes flashing yellow, as Harry suddenly approached Mal, running his hook through her hair as he gleefully threatened to harm him. Forgetting his current predicament, Ben struggled to get back up to his feet, the swords instantly drawing blood from two gashes on his neck before Gil and Anthony successfully managed to grab his shoulders and push him back down, securing him once again. Harry smirked as he then left Uma's side and took Anthony's place. He pressed his sword to one of the open bleeding wounds on Ben's neck, who visibly stiffened holding in a muffled hiss, desperate not to give Harry the satisfaction of seeing him in pain.
"Give me the wand!" Uma ordered after Mal enchanted Dude, proving it was the real thing.
"Give me Hailey and Ben first!" Mal retorted as she first eyed Hailey who was being lent over the plank by Anthony, before stopping to gaze worriedly at Ben.
"Harry! Anthony! Bring them over." she cried, before locking eyes with Mal. "I will let Hailey go first as a sign of good will. Then we can swop Ben with the wand." Mal nodded slowly in agreement.
"Tell your mother, Anastasia says hi and also tell her that my grandmother wishes she'd finished off her off when she had the chance." Anthony told Hailey as he untied her and pushed her over the bridge towards Mal. Mal smiled in relief and gave her a quick hug as she reached her, before quickly shoving her behind her, safely away from Uma and her crew.
Mal's expression quickly returned serious as she eyed Harry, who growled as he helped Ben to his feet and led him towards them. "I never get to have any fun." He complained as he stopped by Uma's side, his hand still holding onto Ben's cuffs.
"Untie him." Mal ordered angrily as she glared at Uma.
Uma's face broke into a wicked grin as she exchanged a quick look with Harry. "I'm afraid you are gonna have to find a way to break him out of those cuffs yourself as we seem to have lost the keys. Besides, you should just be really grateful that we are returning him to you safely in one piece."
Mal snarled as Uma held out her hand for the wand. Mal carefully handed the wand to her as Harry slowly released his hold on Ben who took a cautious step towards her. Uma couldn't help but grin menacingly as her hand gripped one edge of the wand and shot a side glance at Harry. A shiver suddenly shot up Mal's arm. Something was wrong she could feel it. Time seemed to suddenly stop as Uma snatched the wand away from her hand while Harry quickly leaned forward and pulled Ben back onto the Lost Revenge by his cuffs.
"Ben!" Mal screamed as she lunged at Uma but stopped instantly when Harry's arm encircled Ben's throat, pulling him in front of him while at the same time bringing up his other arm and revealing a dagger which he pointed directly at his throat. "Let him go, Uma! We had a deal. I gave you the wand!" Mal pleaded.
"And miss the fun of watching you despair, as you helplessly watch the love of your life bleed to his death while I take over Auradon. Why should I?" she taunted as she started cackling. "I will finally have my revenge for the all those times that you have humiliated me."
"Let him go, Shrimpy! You are going to regret this!" Mal threatened as she took an angry step towards her, her eyes flashing green. "You forget with whom you are dealing with."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Not another step Mal…that is if you don't want anything to happen to your dear Ben." she threatened smugly as Harry tightened his hold on him. Mal stopped, glaring at her, an intense hatred visible on her face. "But first things first. It is time to take over Auradon." Uma gloated as she raised the wand high in the air, her pirate crew crowding around her as she started chanting. "By the power of the sea, tear it down and set us free." Her smug smile quickly faded and turned into a scowl as nothing happened and she realized that she was tricked. "No!" she screamed as she broke the fake wand in two over her knee. "You do not get to win every time! Get 'em!" She ordered as she turned towards her crew.
During the commotion, Harry loosened his grip on Ben's throat slightly, enough for him to have a little breathing space. Ben instantly took the opportunity and shifted his weight, slamming his right shoulder hard into Harry, who with a surprised yelp dropped the dagger as he lost his balance and released him. Wasting no time, Ben started to make a run for it, towards the bridge but a recovering Harry reached out and managed to grab his ankle, causing him to tumble down to the ground.
Meanwhile, all hell broke loose as Carlos threw the first of the smoke bombs at the Lost Revenge as a distraction. The VKs used these precious seconds to bring out their swords to defend themselves as Uma and her crew ran across the bridge onto the pier. Mal ran straight towards Uma who stopped to block the entrance to the Lost Revenge and engaged her directly in a desperate attempt to get to Ben, their swords clashing with a loud sound. Uma angrily swiped at Mal, who easily blocked her attacks. They relentlessly attacked one another but no one managed to prevail as the knowledge from their previous fights made them anticipate each other's moves. Mal raised her sword again and swung at Uma, forcing her to block her. Their eyes locked and Uma suddenly smirked. "You can try all you want but you will never get past me and reach your precious Ben." At the mention of Ben, Mal stiffened and involuntarily took a step back as her hands started shaking. Uma's smirk grew bigger and she quickly lashed out with her sword, causing Mal to lose the grip of her own sword which went flying out of her hand and ended up falling into the sea below them. Uma then swiftly looped a foot behind her opponent's ankle, tripping her, and laid the tip of the sword blade to her throat as Mal fell on her back. "It's over." Uma gloated triumphantly as she drew her sword back before bringing it down hard, aiming it for Mal's heart.
Ben managed to somehow pull his foot away from Harry's hold and using the strength of his knees and legs managed to scramble back to his feet despite his bound hands. He quickly scanned his surroundings trying to find an alternative means of escape as Uma and Mal were blocking the ship's only entrance. "Give up, Ben! You have nowhere to run." Harry taunted as he got back up on his feet and picked up his sword, pointing it at him. Harry took a swing at him, aiming for his abdominal but Ben quickly bended forward while taking a few steps back, skillfully avoiding the blade. Harry rapidly lashed out at him again and Ben had no choice but to move sideways in order to dodge the sword's edge. By the time he straightened himself, Ben realized grimly that Harry was now blocking the path to the ship's gangplank. Harry laughed manically as he held his sword in front of him while Ben let out a muffled groan, staring at him with the most intense hate he ever felt.
Jay sidestepped a swing from Gil and pushed him hard with his shoulder making him loose his footing and fall on his back with a groan. Jay quickly looked at the raging battle around him and his eyes narrowed as he became acutely aware of the fact that with the initial element of surprise now gone they were heavily outnumbered and if they didn't find a solution fast, Uma's pirate crew would quickly get the upper-hand on them. He left the still dazed Gil behind and quickly made his way to help Carlos who was fighting off two pirates of his own. "How many smokebombs do you have left?" he asked in a low voice as they fought off the pirates' attack, their backs to each other.
"Only two. Why?" Carlos asked.
"We need to get out of here and fast. We will not be able to hold them off for much longer!" Jay explained as he skilfully disarmed the pirate in front of him and pushed him to the ground.
"But we still need to free Ben!" Carlos protested.
"We have to return with back up. We have no choice!" Jay retorted as he turned to look out for his leader. His eyes then widened in horror as he spotted Mal loose her sword during her fight with Uma and fall to the ground, Uma's sword pointed at her throat. "Mal!" he shouted as he ran towards her.
Mal held her breath, her heart beating wildly and she closed her eyes as Uma's sword made its way towards her heart. She opened them a second later when she heard the sound of metal clashing with each other and look up to see Jay, who had blocked Uma's blow with his sword. She did not waste time and quickly scrambled back to her feet.
"Are you okay?" Jay asked, as he threw her an extra sword he had picked up on the way to the bridge.
"Yes. Thank you." She replied before angrily turning back to Uma. "Give up Uma. You are outnumbered."
"Oh you really think so!" Uma smirked as Gil and Anthony suddenly appeared by her side, using the hidden ships' ropes tied to the pier to swing back on the Lost Revenge. The trio wasted no time and charged towards the VKs.
"Mal, we need re-enforcement's. We have to retreat!" Jay shouted as he expertly avoided a slash from Anthony.
"I am not leaving Ben behind." Mal insisted as she swung her blade at Uma, after avoiding Gil's sword.
"I'm sorry, Mal. But we have no choice" Jay apologized. "Carlos NOW!" he instructed as he rammed his shoulder forcefully into Anthony before getting a strong hold of Mal's arm as Carlos threw the last of the smokebombs onto the ships deck.
"Ben! Ben!" Mal screamed as Jay forcefully pulled her away from the bridge and up the pier, as the VK's used the fog caused by the smokebombs to escape through the pipe tunnel leading to the royal limousine. Carlos gripped her other arm with an apologetic expression but she did not back down. She continued to scream for Ben and struggle with all her might to free herself from their strong hold. But she could do nothing but watch powerless as the Lost Revenge vanished from view as she was finally dragged away, Jay kicking the piece of the bridge that connected the pipe tunnel to the pier. Tears started flowing freely from her eyes, her last sight of Ben was of him being forced onto the ground as Gil viciously kicked him from behind.
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"Urgh!" Uma screamed angrily in frustration as she held her sword high in the air. She abruptly turned and charged in Ben's direction, who was struggling like a madman against the six pirates who were holding him in place, kneeling down on the floor. "Harry! Get him on his feet!" she bellowed as she maniacally advanced on him, her sword glistening tightly in her hand.
Harry smirked gleefully in anticipation as he hauled the still struggling Ben to his feet before punching him violently in the gut. Ben slumped in his grip with a muffled moan as the wind got knocked out of him, just as Gil got hold of his other arm, keeping him from topping to the ground. Despite the pain from Harry's blow, Ben managed to raise his head and watched as Uma suddenly stopped, a few metres away from him.
"Anthony! Gil!" she commanded. "Unfurl the sails! Now!" she ordered again, more forcefully this time, when the stunned duo kept staring dumbfounded at their captain. Gil signaled to another crew member, who took his place securing Ben. "The rest of you, get this ship ready to sail." She barked as she continued to walk towards Ben with an evil glint in her eye.
"Captain…what are you doing?" Harry asked confused.
"Harry, think!" Uma replied excitedly as she locked eyes with Ben. "Mal is going to come back to save the love of her life but she will need be needing reinforcements to do that which means that they will need to return to Auradon. And you know what that means right?" She paused, turning to smirk at her first mate. "They are going to have to lift the barrier to do so and we will finally have our chance to escape this forsaken place. So get ready Mateys!" she shouted gleefully as she addressed her crew.
"We ride with the tide!"
A muffled snarl left Ben's throat as he continued struggling, which drew Uma's attention back to him. "Now…what to do with you?" she pondered for a few long moments, as the ship left the pier and started sailing out of the harbour. "Harry, why don't you accompany our guest here to the brig while I decide what to do with him."
"As you wish, captain." Harry replied as he shoved Ben forward and directed him forcefully down the steps leading to the hull of the ship.
Once Harry and Ben were out of sight, Anthony approached his captain holding something in his hand, visibly grinning.
"What is it, Anthony?" she asked, her curiosity sparked.
"Guess what one of the crew found on the pier just before we left?" He asked, his evil eyes glistening.
"I don't have time for riddles, Anthony!" she replied irritated. "What is it?"
Anthony did not answer and instead handed her a small leather covered book with a green dragon symbol engraved on the front. Uma opened the book viewing its contents and raised her eyebrows in surprise before she started laughing maniacally. This day couldn't have turned out any better, she thought in satisfaction, as an idea of a plan started forming in her head.
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Ben was held tightly by the arms by two pirates as Harry opened the door of one of the little cells within the ship's brig. Harry approached him and shoved him roughly inside, causing him to fall unceremoniously onto the dirty ground. "Enjoy your stay." Harry taunted laughing as he locked the door behind him and left the brig.
Ben slowly picked himself up from the floor but had to rest against the bars of the cells as the room suddenly started spinning. As he closed his eyes, it dawned on him that the adrenaline from the fight was starting to wear off and the blows he sustained and the events of the last few hours were starting to catch up to him, his parched throat reminding him that he hadn't had anything to drink and eat since the previous day. As his head started to clear, he opened his eyes and gave a quick look at his new surroundings. The cell he was locked in was mostly bare, apart from a small cot at the far right corner. There were two barred windows on the brig's wooden walls, one at each side of him, and he could see that the Lost Revenge was now in open sea. He watched grimly as a bright light engulfed the ship, signalling that as Uma had predicted, Mal and the rest had brought down the barrier so they could return to Auradon. If only he could warn them that Uma had managed to slip through. He let out a frustrated muffled cry and inevitably groaned in pain as he tried moving his sore wrists, a sharp pain running through his stiff arm and shoulder muscles as they protested the movement. He sighed and gingerly made his way towards the cot, slowly lying down to rest as his thoughts inevitably went to Mal. He had locked eyes with her twice during the fight and although she had tried to put up a brave front, the fear for his safety had been clearly evident in her eyes. And her painful cries for him as she was dragged away by Jay still resonated within his head. He could not begin to imagine how worried she was about him at the moment. He suddenly raised his eyebrows as an idea came to him. He closed his eyes in concentration and when he opened them a few moments later they were shining a bright yellow as his mark came to life.
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Mal continued pacing Hailey's office while the other VKs carefully explained to Hailey and the captain of her guards, the strategic points of the pier so they can co-ordinate an attack against Uma. Jay looked up from the map they were currently viewing and called out to her. "Mal!" He started but paused as she shot him a death glare. He gulped before continuing. "Calm down…we will save Ben, I promise. But we need your help to do so. Come here…you know Uma and the way she thinks more than anyone."
"HOW CAN I CALM DOWN, JAY!" she suddenly shouted. "I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR PULLING ME AWAY FROM BEN! Gods know what Uma and Harry are doing to him at the moment." She paused as her voice lowered suddenly trembling. "I don't even know if he is still alive."
Evie left the group and embraced her tightly. "Of course Ben is still alive, Mal. Don't even think like that. Besides, Uma still needs him as a bargaining chip for the wand. And I swear, we will get to him in time before she can harm him."
Mal lifted her bright eyes shining with unshed tears to look at Evie but before she could reply she gasped loudly as a warm feeling cursed through her and the mark on her neck started glowed brightly. The whole room fell silent and stared in awe at the bright light that had suddenly engulfed the room. "Ben!" she mouthed softly and a relieved expression took over her face, as her eyes glowed green in response. "He's still alive!" she told Evie as the light died down, happy tears starting to fall down her cheeks.
"I told you so but he is counting on you to rescue him. Now come!" Evie encouraged her as she offered her a hand. Mal grasped it tightly and went to join the others at the table. Suddenly a guard burst into the room, panting heavily before bowing and turning to address Hailey. "Your Majesty! One of the controlling towers has spotted a pirate ship entering Auradon's waters. It seems to be heading straight towards the Royal Yacht. The guests of the Council Gala have already started to arrive."
"Jay, Carlos, Evie! Follow me!" Mal shouted, her eyes blazing as she ran out of the room. 'Hang On, Ben. I'm coming!'
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Ben's shoulders visibly relaxed as he felt Mal respond to him. His eyes then returned to normal and he felt himself sag further against the cot as the magical experience took its final toll on him, zapping the last of his energies. He inevitably shut his eyes, exhaustion finally claiming him.
The sound of jangling of keys woke him up from his slumber a little while later. Ben lifted groggy eyes to look up at the cell's entrance, his senses instantly alert as he spotted Mal quietly opening the door before she ran towards him. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he barely had time to sit up before Mal reached him and threw her arms around his neck. Ben let out a relieved breath as he closed his eyes, losing himself in Mal's tight embrace. They stayed in that position for a few long moments before Mal reached out and loosened the gag around Ben's mouth. She finally pulled back and their eyes met as she brought a hand to his cheek.
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.
He nodded reassuringly with a little smile. "Not…hing a lit…tle wa…ter and food wo…n't fix." He rasped out with difficulty.
"Here…drink this!" Mal instructed as she reached for her bag and took out a bottle, bringing it to his lips. He quickly gulped down the liquid, emptying the bottle in one swig.
"That's better, sweetheart. Thank you." he replied. "How did you find me?" he asked.
"The royal guard spotted Uma's ship approaching land so I managed to sneak aboard and steal the keys." She paused with a little smile. "Now turn around. One of these keys should be able to open these accursed cuffs."
Ben turned, giving his back to Mal who started fumbling with the lock of his cuffs. A thought suddenly occurred to him but as he was about to ask her why she hadn't used her magic to free him, the room suddenly started spinning around him. Beads of sweat broke out over his forehead and everything started going dark. "M-M-Mal" was all he managed to mutter before it became too hard for him to breathe and he collapsed, falling back down on the cot.
'Mal' smirked as she looked down at Ben's unconscious form. She touched the necklace around her neck and she was surrounded by a bright light before shifting back into herself. Uma stood up, laughing sinisterly as she triumphantly looked out from one of the brig's windows, the bright lights of Auradon coming into view. "And now my dear Mal, the real fun begins. You have no idea what I have in store for you, you Poor Unfortunate Soul!"
That it! Dun dun dun You guys weren't expecting that were you? The drama continues. For any of you wondering how Uma was able to use magic remember there was a gap in the barrier that they got through so they are in Auradon by now. I hope you guys liked this chapter. Review? Pretty please?