Guys, I'm so excited about this. I hope you didn't get bored with the palace montage because I swear after a few chapters you will be begging me to slow back down again. Things are about to get intense. Hang on for the ride.
"Are you sure you don't want to do this with me?" Ben asked. There was a sad gleam in his eyes. He stuck his lip out a fraction. Mal laughed and rolled her eyes. They were standing in a corner of the library, surrounded by camera crews and high-tech streaming devices. wires had been taped to the carpet with black tape and crisscrossed the floor everywhere. The palace had invited Auradon News to do a quick interview so that Ben could explain to the people what was about to happen in the palace. But only a highly edited version, so that the people didn't rebel over the fact that a villainess's daughter was about to hit the list of top ten most powerful people in the country.
"No, I really don't. Thanks though. I'll just sit here and observe you, so I know what to do next time." Mal answered. She crossed her ankles and smiled like a doll as one of the camera people danced around him, straightening and pinning fabric. He chuckled.
"Because it's so hard to sit in front of a camera and answer questions." Ben rolled his eyes.
Mal felt her face go slack. "Yeah." She agreed quietly. "But it's a little different when you haven't grown up around it." She glanced at the large cameras and the busy people rushing around the library, racing to get ready.
Ben raised an eyebrow and reached over the seamstress to rub her cheek a little. Mal stuck a tongue out at him and leaned out of his reach. "You aren't scared, are you?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Of you? Of course not. You're practically a human eclair." Mal responded, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes at him. Ben laughed.
Mal's phone buzzed against her side. "Ugh!" She groaned. She took it out of her pocket and held it out to Ben in exasperation without even looking at the screen. "Can you shut my phone up? I don't know how to make it be quiet."
Ben snorted. He turned the screen to show her as he drew up the bottom of the screen and clicked a blue-colored icon. "It's called Do Not Disturb. You have to reset it each morning unless you change the settings. I can show you later. But that's how you 'tell the phone to be quiet'."
Mal nodded with a frown and took her phone back. The notifications were mainly from the news app and a few text messages from Sophia and Doug. "Why is the news app being so crazy?" She asked Ben.
Ben smiled in understanding. "The palace released all the legislation that will take place when we get married. You know: 'Isle not part of Auradon' and 'Maleficent's daughter has no ruling power unless the king dies'. People are still freaking out. The news apps are going to milk it while they can."
"Ugh," Mal grumbled and rolled her eyes. "Lame." She complained.
"Lame?" Ben laughed. "Excuse us if giving a major part of our land away to the daughter of a villain is a strange thing for us."
"Okay, okay." Mal held up a hand to stop him. "One, Mom is a villainess, technically. Two, the Isle is by no means a 'major part of the land'. Since when have you taken care of it like, say, Cinderellasburg?"
"Well, the Isle houses all of Auradon's villains. Believe it or not, we worry about them getting away." Ben reasoned. He sounded a bit strained.
"Houses is a stretch of a term, Ben." Mal pursed her lips and gave him a very pointed look.
Ben sighed in defeat. "Yeah, I know." He sighed, looking dejected.
Mal rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. It's fine though. Now, you ready to knock em' dead?"
"I don't know if that'd leave a very good impression." Ben deadpanned. Mal glared a little until he began to chuckle.
"Prince Ben!" Someone called from onset. The interviewer, who was dressed in a pin-striped suit and had very odd red streaks in his grey hair, was gesturing Ben over furiously.
Ben sighed as the seamstress finished up. "Wish me luck?" He asked Mal. She smiled sweetly and leaned up to leave a quick peck on his cheek. Ben looked pleasantly surprised.
She returned to her position sitting with her ankles crossed. "Good luck." She teased him. His confident smile returned, and he rolled his eyes as the camera helpers escorted him towards the set.
Someone poked her arm. She moved away and looked at the someone with a raised eyebrow. They stared at her in disbelief. They had bright pink and purple hair and bold white eyeliner over naturally tan skin.
"Um, are you the new queen? Cause I thought you were with the camera crew, but then you just kissed the prince." The person – she couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl – asked while eyeing her suspiciously.
"Um, prefer to not answer," Mal said quickly. She turned back to the set. A few feet in front of her was a screen, showing what was streaming live.
"Live in five, four, three, two, one!" The producer called. Mal craned her neck to get a visual of the end of the news jingle before she saw Ben and the interviewer onscreen. She and Ben locked eyes around the screen, and she stuck out her tongue at him.
The interviewer announced where they were and who he was with as Mal did her best to make Ben giggle. She crossed her eyes, lit her pupils up, and made funny shapes with her tongue. Ben's expression never dropped.
"So, Ben, you're about to turn twenty-two. How does that feel?" The interviewer asked. Ben smirked at Mal and then turned to the pin-striped man.
"It's interesting. Things have been moving very fast for the last month. I'm hoping to be able to slow down a little before the coronation to catch my breath." Ben looked very relaxed as he spoke. He pulled one leg up onto his knee and clasped his hands together as he thought.
"I imagine things have been moving fast. The kingdom has been in shock ever since the Palace announced its plans for Coronation day had been revamped. Now, Ben, let's jump right into the nuts and bolts section of this; what can you tell us about this new queen, Mal?" The interviewer said this all very fast. Mal pulled an uncomfortable grimace, which Ben probably noticed since he was glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. She hadn't expected her name to be brought up so quickly in such an abrupt way.
"Oh, Mal is a great person," Ben said as if it were obvious. He was still watching her out of the corner of his eyes. The seamstress and the pink-haired camera help glanced at Mal as she leaned even further into the wall. "She's adventurous and funny and she's a very forgiving person," Ben told the cameras. "I think she'll make a fantastic ruler."
"Where is Mal?" The interviewer asked, wringing his hands and glancing through the camera crews as if expecting to see someone with horns and black robes sitting around. His eyes skimmed right over Mal but hovered around where Belle and Adam were sitting, watching the interview.
"Right over there." Ben pointed towards her. The cameras didn't move, but several other members of the camera crews and the interviewer all turned to spare her a look. "She didn't want to be interviewed today. She said she trusted me. Heaven knows why. But she's over there. Hi Mal." He waved. She bit her cheek and waved back. The interviewer moved his hand a little in response.
"She doesn't look at all like her mother." The interviewer cleared his throat and relaxed a bit. He didn't rip his eyes away from the purple-haired fairy, though. Mal's skin felt icy as he examined her critically. "You and Mal get along then? How did the whole thing originally start rolling?" The interviewer asked.
"Yeah, I think we'll be a good team." Ben smiled. "And she came from the Isle of the Lost. She's been here almost a month and it's been a blast. When we're not trying to arrange for coronation day, we're hanging out together and having lots of fun. Every morning she climbs the outer walls of the palace to watch the sunrise and a while ago she attacked me with a can of glitter."
"A can of glitter?" The interviewer asked, finally turning away from Mal. She quickly composed herself and brushed her hair away from her mouth so that no one would see her subconsciously chewing on it.
"Oh yes! She's lethal." Ben exclaimed. "I accidentally managed to knock the can out of her hand and I made a dive for it, but it blew up! I think I've still got glitter in my hair, see?" Ben bent forward and combed part of his hair up. The interviewer leaned forward to examine Ben's hair. It was then Mal realized that Ben had completely ignored explaining why she'd come over from the Isle. She smirked and put her hands on her hips. Smart fish.
"She sounds like she's an adventurous soul. Maleficent's daughter, yes?" The interviewer glanced back over at Mal. Mal knew he already knew who she was and where she'd come from. The question was meant to force Ben to address it. , however, he carefully skirted the problem.
"Yes. We don't know who her father is though. Mal's theory is that he was sent to the Isle and later died. Mal's planning on enacting systems on the Isle of the Lost to record who is born there and keep everyone safe. Just by looking at the records briefly, she was able to identify at least fifteen people who were her close friends that are not recorded with Auradon. It's important that we get those records because if our theories are correct, we've only been sending over supplies for half the people on the Isle." Ben reported, sitting back up straight and doing his best to rearrange his hair.
"How can we expect things to change for Auradon?" The interviewer prompted.
"Not much will change." Ben shook his head. "The Isle will be entirely in Mal's domain after her coronation. We'll work together to ensure that both our countries are being run securely. Auradon may expect prices of some goods to be slightly higher in the months after I'm coronated as we move goods around in the wake of the Isle separation, but after that, they should be made more readily available and less expensive than before."
Mal had to hand it to Ben. He was good at avoiding answering directly. He danced around the question, painting them both in a good light. She smiled and gave him a double thumbs up.
"Now, I'm aware that Mal is right there-" The interviewer pointed to her. Mal froze. "And that you've already made clarifications on her hobbies and interests, but I am curious: Can she – you," He directed to Mal "Do magic?"
People in the room shied away from her, no matter how far away they were. Ben drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair and exhaled. "Yes, she gets her magical abilities from her mother." He started. "Like her hair? Do you see her hair color? It's purple, for those of you not in this room. It grows like that naturally. It's really pretty. I like her hair." Mal blushed and hid her face with her hands, well aware that everyone in the library, including Belle and Adam, was looking at her. Of all the things magical about her, Ben had singled out the most obvious physical attribute.
This time, however, the interviewer was not distracted by the emotion play. "What sort of magic can she do?" He asked.
"She can light her eyes up and do other overall basic things," Ben snorted. He was trying to make it sound like an insignificant thing. "I think I'll have more magic ties on me when I'm coronated than she can manage right now." He crossed his arms. It wasn't meant to be an insult, but Mal still gave Ben a dismayed expression. He didn't see it this time because he was facing away.
The interviewer continued examining her tersely. "She looks so... young." He frowned. "Like a teenager."
A lump appeared in Mal's throat, and she looked away. "She's almost seventeen," Ben told the interviewer. "When I'm thirty-five, she'll still be thirty. We're not too far apart."
"Five years?" The interviewer asked incredulously. "And she's not even of age."
"Her mother and my parents already approved it," Ben replied in a terse tone. Mal glanced up to see a dark, semi-flustered look crossing his face. "And we're happy together. Everything has already been set up. She's not evil, and she's a great companion to me. We complement each other."
Belle drifted over in a red swishy skirt and a librarian blouse. "Don't worry about it, dear." She whispered in Mal's ear. "He's been doing this since he was small. He'll convince them. Now relax." She pushed Mal's tense shoulders down.
"I don't like this. They don't trust me. I finally got Adam to believe I'm not trying to steal his son's throne and now I've got to start focusing on convincing Auradon." Mal gestured to the camera as Ben's interview continued.
"You'll get there. Just take it one step at a time. I mean it when I say I foresee great things from you." Belle reassured her. She rubbed Mal's arms to take the edge off her goosebumps.
Mal let out a little breath. "Thank you, Belle." She clutched her arms around her chest and exhaled to relieve the tension. Onscreen, Ben and the interviewer continued to talk about her and her magic. Ben was recounting the glitter story in dramatics, with expressive hands and frequent pausing.
"Of course, dear. Want to come to sit by Adam and I and have a tea?" Belle asked, straightening her blouse with a smile.
"I'd love one," Mal admitted. She allowed Belle to lead her over to the coffee table. As she sat down and looked over to where Ben had let his leg down and was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees as he and the interviewer talked back and forth, she exhaled. He looked relaxed and sincere. His blue eyes flickered away from the interviewer and searched the room for her. When he found her, she watched his face change. He visibly tuned out from what the interviewer was saying and the corners of his mouth crooked up. His features smoothed out into bliss, and he raised a little eyebrow at her before he glanced back to where the interviewer was still speaking animatedly. Mal felt warmth in her cheeks as she took several small breaths.
"I wonder if my mom is watching this right now." She wondered out loud. Adam nodded along.
"I wondered the same thing." He admitted softly. "Will your friends be safe on the Isle?"
"They'll have to be. I can't do anything for another two months." Mal said begrudgingly.
Belle balled her skirt up in her fist. Adam focused on Mal's ear.
"What is it?" Mal asked. Belle swallowed.
"I don't know- has it occurred to you that the Isle will be a stand-alone country with close relations to Auradon? I believe Ben is still arranging for material support for the Isle, but as far as I know, there aren't any food sources or any sort of government system that will be in place." Belle rambled on until Adam put a hand on hers.
"That's enough." He whispered.
She exhaled. "You're right." She agreed.
Mal tuned out. They were right. Of course, the Isle was going to become separate! Of course. That meant she'd have to reorganize everything and create a system and she had no idea where to start.
Mal withdrew her phone and used the internet to pull up a map of the Isle of the Lost. She needed to figure out what sort of resources the small island had at its disposal before she could start figuring out how to organize anything or anything
Mal looked up and met Belle's eyes. "I need a map." She whispered. "Where can I get one?"
"Ask Doug," Adam whispered back. "He'll know."
"Have you got an idea of what you want to do?" Belle whispered.
Mal chewed on her cheek. "I think so." She admitted. "I just need a map."
"Whoa."
The moment she heard him, she knew who it was. Mal hid a smile and pushed her hair behind her ears before she looked up from her last few hours of work and smiled at Ben. "Hey." She said. "Good job today."
"Thanks." He said absentmindedly as he put a hand on her shoulder and examined her work in awe. Mal didn't move as a slow smile spread over his face. She had been busy. A large map of the Isle of the Lost had been taped up onto the wall, and a pushpin board was absolutely covered with bits of ideas featuring things like gang rivalries, uninhabited sections, busy shops, and future personifications. Ben's tablet, which she had stolen, was propped up against her thesaurus and dictionary. The screen was currently divided by a word document and an article dating back almost thirty years when plans for the Isle of the Lost had only just begun.
"I left near the end to make sure I didn't lose any ideas," Mal said. She hesitated. "Can I share stuff with you?" She looked up and met his eyes.
Ben didn't miss the point. She wasn't just asking to share – she was asking to confide. She wanted to know if all her 'brain-children' were any good.
"Of course." He clapped his hands together and crouched down to examine the document on the screen. He rolled his eyes when he recognized it. "Remind me to tell Dad to get you a tablet." He paused. "How did you know my passcode?"
Mal snorted. She took the tablet out of the case and a yellow sticky note fluttered to the ground. On it was a long string of numbers and letters. Mal picked it up and handed it back to him. "You keep your passcode here. Anyways, I was thinking…" She gestured to the map. "There's tons of rivalries and feuds on the Isle, so it's best to allocate resources based on who's more territorial and how many people happen to live underneath them. There is my mother and her gang, obviously, then Ursula, the dark villains like Gaston and the Queen of Hearts, Hades, etc. All of the buildings are very old, but the ones by the Warf are the worst because the water has withered away at the wood posts. Anything that's not true land sways and people fall through soft wood all the time. So, it would make sense to strengthen that area first. The Warf happens to connect to this swampland here, and where the two meet might be a good place for a farm because the land is level with the sea. With proper equipment, we could irrigate and then the Isle would have its first food source." She glanced nervously at Ben, sure he had tuned out at some point. Instead, he followed all her gestures intently and smiled when their eyes met. She swallowed and explained a few ideas she had to have each person report to a council which would include herself and at least three others, and that way they could mutually decide what was best for the Isle.
"You sound like you already have people in mind." Ben smiled.
Mal shrugged as her neck began to feel unnaturally warm. She looked offhandedly at her map and picked up a thick paint marker to outline a river and an exposed sewage line. "I do." She murmured. "I was thinking of six or so different people who I know care about the Isle and people on it." She bit her lip and turned to watch as Ben's forehead crinkled in thought. She swallowed and plunged ahead. "I was thinking Uma, the daughter of Ursula, but I don't really want to work with her. We were rivals, her and I. Also: there's Dizzy, daughter of Drizella, but she's young." Mal paused.
"You said sixish. Not two. Who are the others?" Ben pointed out.
Mal sighed and twirled a lock of hair around her index finger. "Three others. Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen. She's smart, cunning, and resourceful. Jay knows the worth of a dollar, son of Jafar. And Carlos, son of Cruella." Mal's voice dropped off.
Ben patted the spot on the bed next to him. Mal sat down and immediately pulled her leg up onto her knee. "You're trying to fess up." He told her. "It sounds to me that those kids have abilities that lie elsewhere."
Mal groaned. "Yeah, I know. Evie's a diva, not a diplomat. Jay is brutal force, no strategy at all. And Carlos would hide away from reality and spend days with his electronics. I just… really wanted to see them again."
Mal pulled her knees up to her chest and fiddled with a loose thread on her knee. Ben nodded absentmindedly. He examined the wall. "It's amazing though." He complimented her. "You're brilliant." Ben glanced sideways at her and caught her staring at a point around his mouth. He smirked as she rolled her eyes with a blush and looked away. "-And confined." He continued. The abrupt change in conversation allowed Mal to quickly recover from the heat in her cheeks. He stretched his arms out and began to crack all his knuckles.
Mal chuckled and let her feet drop back to the ground. "I am. Ridiculous, isn't it? I'm confined in a palace where parts of it change if you don't visit often and where I'm allowed to roam free. Pretty silly."
"Not really," Ben replied. "But-" He stood up and help out a hand to her. She took it with a raised eyebrow. His hand felt warm. "-I wanted to offer you an out." He helped her to her feet with a blinding smile.
"Oh? And what was that?" Mal asked.
"You'll see." He promised. "You need a break from political stuff anyway. Regroup and redevelop." He waved his free hand absentmindedly at her work as he led her to the doorway. and slipped a careless arm around her waist. Mal briefly entertained the idea of moving away from him but found his arm felt rather nice there.
Ben led her further into the east wing until Mal no longer recognized the corridors. One arm had somehow gotten looped up in Ben's, but she let the other hand trail on the wall and felt the castle humming.
"These corridors are older but used often enough they shouldn't move," Ben told her as they journeyed deeper into the castle. "Has the castle gotten worse at hating you?"
Mal laughed. "That's a funny way of asking." She told him. "But yes, most of the castle and I are on good terms."
"That's good," Ben said. An out-of-place door was coming up. It was made of metal and painted a warm blue-grey. Ben stopped in front of it. He held up a key and let Mal examine its shape. Then, he unlocked the door and held it open for her. The room inside was dark.
"Don't go too far." Ben cautioned. His warm hand wrapped around her bicep as he edged around her a little in the dark. She heard his fingers make feeble scratches at the wall, and then the lights came on. She blinked as the light temporarily blinded her. Then she realized she was standing in a very small garage with three things. One, a very old out-of-commission car that looked like it could be the oldest model in existence on the far side of the room. Two, a carriage, mostly dismantled. And three, a sleek black car with dark-tinted windows and silver finishing. Mal whistled. Ben laughed. and stepped down a little concrete step in front of the door. He turned and offered a hand to help her down. Mal accepted, taking a quick glance around the tan walls and the speckled painted floors of the garage before resting a hand on the roof of the car.
"When I first turned sixteen, my parents wanted me to learn to drive in case I was ever in a situation I needed to leave, or my driver was hurt, et cetera," Ben explained. "So they bought this and rotated three days a week between Lumiere, Mom, and Dad until I was the best driver among my friends. She's a ten-year-old model, but with an upgraded sound system. I can show you how the phone-connect works. It's automatic, and it has cruise control, which I have a feeling you will come to value."
"So…" Mal turned around to look at Ben. "What are you saying?"
"You're sixteen. I'm going to teach you to drive. As soon as you're confident, you can apply for a license. Until then, you need a licensed adult over nineteen with you. I think it'll be good for you to escape." Ben smiled and crossed his arms. She could see the muscles moving under his shirt and the sight honestly brought a shy smile to her face.
"Do your parents know about this?" Mal asked in a teasing tone.
Ben held up his hands. "Okay, one: I'm a grown adult, about to be crowned king in just under two months. I can do what I want without supervision. Two, the car technically belongs to me. The deed is in my name. Three, yes. I told my parents."
Mal laughed. "Well then, your highness. Are you going to show me how to drive?" She crossed her arms and smirked. Ben rolled his eyes and went to open the driver's side door for her. He held out his hand and squeezed her hand as he helped her inside. He shut the door for her and walked around the car to get in on the other side. Mal quickly ran her fingers through her hair and took a moment to calm down as he opened the other door and climbed in.
There was a short instruction cue where he explained where to put her hands and what the different gears and systems of the car were. He took her phone and turned the shuffle mode on in her music app. She didn't have very many favorites yet. After a long while, she opened the garage door, turned on the car, and with Ben's instructions managed to back up and into a hidden driveway. She pulled out too fast, and Ben leaned over to help her readjust the steering, but Mal was overall quickly getting used to it. Ben navigated her to a back entrance of the palace grounds, where a security guard was on duty. He stopped them before they could leave.
When Mal rolled down the window, she recognized him immediately. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "It's you!"
Outside was the security guard who had reassured Mal in the car on her way here. He smiled to see her. "Miss Mal." He said softly. "I heard you've been climbing the palace walls. Are you also driving now?"
"We'll see." Ben laughed. "That's the general idea."
The security guard smiled and withdrew. "Sorry for stopping you. I just need to know who comes and goes. Have a nice trip."
"Wait!" Mal said. The guard raised a questioning eyebrow. Mal fumbled to put the car into park and then searched her pockets. "Ben," She turned urgently to him. "Can I borrow your phone?"
Ben pulled it out of his chest pocket. "Um… there!" He proclaimed, handing it off to her. "It's unlocked."
"Thanks." Mal turned around to face the guard. "What's your name?" She asked, readying the on-screen keyboard. The guard chuckled.
"I'm Stewart Atticus." He introduced himself.
"A-t-t… got it!" Mal turned and handed Ben's phone back to him. "This man is my favorite guard. He's the first person from Auradon to show me an ounce of compassion."
Ben smiled. He reached over Mal and shook Stewart's hand. Mal caught a whiff of his cologne as Ben withdrew. "Nice to meet you! Are you free on October twelfth?"
Stewart laughed. "Coronation day? Doubtful."
Ben gave a little smirk like he had an idea and was already scheming. "Oh, well, maybe we'll be in touch soon anyway."
Stewart frowned in confusion. Ben leaned back into his seat. Mal raised an eyebrow at Ben but smiled at Stewart. "It was nice to see you again." She told him.
Stewart laughed. "You as well, Miss Mal. Have a lovely rendezvous."
Mal put the car in drive and began to pull away. Stewart stepped away from the car and waved as the future King and Queen left the palace grounds. Mal rolled up the window as soon as they were out of earshot. "What was that about?" She asked Ben.
"Just an idea." He said. "Now, remember how I showed you your blinker? You're going to want to turn left up here."
Mal watched the outside pass in an intense feeling of excitement. After all, this was the first time she'd been out of the palace in almost a month and a half. Outside, change was working her magic. Summer was fading and preparing to give way to September. The nights had started to get chilly again.
The inside of the car smelled like rainwater and new leather. Mal wondered how long the car had sat unused in the garage. It didn't seem like Ben took it out very often.
They seemed to be going through a small part of a forest, with thick tree trunks creating shadowy, imposing lines outside. Ben gave instructions every once in a while, but for the most part, the path they took was made of long, straight lines. He was simply letting her get used to the vehicle.
They didn't talk much, mostly because Mal was focused on the road and taking it all in. Most of the time, Mal could feel Ben's eyes on her as she drove. Whether he was making sure she was okay with the car or whether he was observing her herself, she couldn't tell, but her cheeks grew warm every single time she caught a glimpse of him.
The clock ticked toward the middle hours of the night, and after long last Ben murmured: "It's around the next bend. Slow down just a little. You're going to be turning left."
Mal eased on the break as they went around a large boulder, which masked what was on the other side. To the right was the forest, continuing outwards. To the left was a grassy area with tires tracks imprinted in the grass. It was a small hill, mostly level on the top, but quickly sloping down into a river. Mal did her best to follow the tracks on the grass, pulling clear of the road. Ben showed her how to pull the parking break into place and turn the parking lights on. She cracked the windows open, and a crisp breeze floated in.
"This is a nice place." She observed, setting the chair back a bit. She folded her hands in her lap and listened to the sounds of the river outside. It occurred to Mal that they were very, very alone out here. She looked over at Ben, who was relaxing against his seat and looking up at the stars outside. He looked like something normal and something sweet. Her eyes combed over his hair and settled onto his mouth. He goanced over and caught her staring with a smirk. Her breath hitched a little, but she hoped he didn't hear.
Ben nodded in agreement. "My mom took me here first. I played my music too loud and almost hit a deer." He glanced sideways at her with a goofy smile. Something told Mal he knew she'd been admiring him.
Mal busted out laughing at his story. "Sounds like a brilliant first-time driver. I feel very comfortable with you teaching me." She fiddled with the heat warmers so they were blowing full-blast on her feet.
"Yeah, I wasn't the best. But hey, I got better." Ben's hand fumbled in the empty center console as he gazed out at the river. Mal raised an eyebrow at him. She yawned a little and leaned against the seat. Her eyelids felt a little heavy all of the sudden.
Ben's skin brushed hers and she peeked an eye open. He took her hand under her own intense scrutiny and looked out the window. His cheeks had a new color in them. She laughed at him. "I wondered why you were messing in the glovebox." She told him.
"You moved your hand." He muttered accusingly as he threaded his fingers through hers. The feeling sent tingles up her nerves. He turned back to her. "Tired?" He asked.
Mal stifled a yawn. "A little. I was on a kick with all my planning, but I'm winding down now." She squeezed his hand experimentally and laid her head back against the seat. His thumb started tracing little patterns on her hand.
"Driving always helped me relax," Ben admitted. A smile pulled at his lips. Mal watched his mouth as his smile turned into a smirk. She only met his eyes when he chuckled at her. "Do you think you'll be able to make it back?" He asked, rubbing a thumb over her hand.
She sat back up and set her other hand on her chin, with her elbow on the armrest. Why was it so hard to breathe? Just a month ago she'd been mad at him for touching her. But he was so real now, in front of her. So real and warm and cute. She let out a little breath. "No clue." She admitted as she shrugged. "Maybe you should drive."
"Maybe." He brushed her purple hair behind her ear. Mal did her best to show no reaction. Not a muscle twitch, nothing short of a blink. The tension intensified.
"So, tell me, Ben," She drawled out, breaking the silence. "Do you usually bring unsuspecting, young teenage girls here?"
Ben laughed. He laughed so hard Mal thought he might choke. She leaned back when she felt his warm breath hit her chin. "Only the future queens." He murmured. Laugh lines were creased around his eyes. His smile faded a bit and he let his gaze drop with a guilty look. "I forget you're a teenager."
"Well, I forget you're of coronation age now." Mal shrugged. "You still act like a kid."
Ben's face once again spread into a smile and his laughter filled the car, making her curl her toes. "Ouch!" He declared. "All welcome Mal, leading Auradon into a new age of brutality with her cruel words."
Mal chuckled. "So, the future queens." She said, returning them to their previous conversation. "I thought I was the only one of those?" She asked.
"You are." He assured her softly. A little color appeared in his cheeks. The hand he'd used to brush her hair back came down and traced her arm to find her other hand. Ben leaned in a little. Mal watched him come closer. She was deftly aware there was a certain amount of distance between them. A hand's width narrowed down into two fingers worth of space. He froze, waiting for her. The air outside suddenly seemed a lot colder with his warm breath beside her mouth. "Too fast still?" He whispered.
She couldn't stop the dry laugh that escaped her throat. Mal clutched his hands and let herself drift the final inch-and-a-half. They kissed. It was pretty chaste, as far as kisses go. No tongue, no weird breath noises. There weren't even any sparks. Just a peck that crossed the ten-second timer and started a direct line for twenty. When she leaned back, she wasn't huffing for her breath. She only smirked at the future king, who looked surprised, and said: "You're driving back."
He laughed, released her hands, and unbuckled himself. She slipped out of the car before he could make it all the way around to let her out and shut the door. Before they passed each other, he stopped her in front of the dim headlights, tilted her head up just a fraction, and gave her another quick peck that brought a warmth to her cheeks. They got into the car, she buckled up, leaned the seat back a little, and closed her eyes as Ben pulled out and began the trip back to the castle.
She faded in and out of reality for a little while but became aware at some point that Ben was driving with one hand on the wheel and one hand holding hers. It felt nice. Natural, even. He got them back to the palace and opened her door for her. She woke up enough to walk back to her room, and before he left he gave her one more small kiss.
They'd crossed lines that night. But… good lines. For the first time, she felt content in the situation, however horrible it may be.
I do not own Descendants, Beauty and the Beast, Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, Hercules, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Aladdin, and 101 Dalmatians.
