"You attacked Uma," Ben said.
Chad looked shrugged, sitting in the chair on the other side of the king's desk. "I don't know where you heard that… I was with Audrey."
Ben tossed the lighter on the desk between them.
Chad looked at it, his nose busted and his eyes bruised. He cocked a half-smile at his childhood friend. "Her word against mine. She probably stole the lighter from me."
"Were you really going to kill her?" Ben asked, voice low.
Chad stared back at him. "I don't know what you're talking about." He was barely even trying to hide it. No pretend alarm or offense. Just flat, stubborn lies.
"There was a witness."
"Oh? And Audrey can say I was with her."
"Chad."
The prince looked at him and then finally grinned. "Come on, Ben. Stop playing around with that trash. You're going to let them ruin Auradon."
Ben sat stiffly in his chair, staring at the boy he'd known all his life. And it was because he knew him, that he knew he'd done the things everyone said he'd been doing—tormenting the Isle kids. Picking on Uma. Ben couldn't quite forget how casually she'd sat with them last night, playing cards and laughing like she wasn't beaten up—like it was normal.
"You're banished, Chad."
The blond blinked at him before heaving out a laugh. "You're joking? You can't kick me out of school, Ben. You don't have that authority—"
"I'm not kicking you out of school. I'm banishing you from my kingdom."
Chad's smile sunk away, dragging all amusement and cruelty from his eyes, leaving only shock behind. "Over a witch?"
"Over a person. A woman, that you hunted and beat up and tried to burn."
Chad shot up from his chair. "A witch! I was trying to save you! You're going to lose your throne if you don't get things under control, Ben!"
Ben's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"
Chad laughed madly. "You can't do this. I am the son of—"
"I called your parents. You need help, Chad. They're sending a car for you. You're going home to your kingdom where you can get the care you need. You're not thinking straight."
The door opened before Chad could argue, guards stepping inside.
For a long minute they stared at one another and Ben was sure Chad would jump the desk and try to throttle him. But finally he curled his lip in a snarl and stormed out, the guards on his heels.
Ben waited in the quiet of his office. A panel in the side wall opened and Harry stepped out. He wouldn't usually have had an audience, but he thought Harry should see it—to know that something had been done.
The pirate walked over to the desk, glancing once at the seat where Chad had sat but not touching it himself.
Ben stood up, grabbing one of the folders from a stack on his desk. "Before you go, you should sign this." He held out the folder.
Harry took it, flipping it open and frowning at the papers.
"It's your inheritance," Ben explained. "Captain Hook had a substantial amount of treasure, as well as property, outside the Isle—both from before his pirating days and during."
Harry laughed a little. It wasn't too shocking to find out his father had been wealthy. Wealth never meant the same thing to pirates as it did to other people. Pirates loved their treasure, but rarely used it—preferring to find it and hide it.
"Look it over if you want and sign that document," Ben pointed it out. "Stating that Hook is dead, and the holdings will be transferred to you."
Harry's cold blue eyes slid off the papers to Ben, going still. He hadn't admitted that Hook was dead to Ben—he'd only admitted that the old pirate had been poisoned into a long sleep and left on his ship. But Mal had told him that ship burned with everyone inside. Hook was gone.
"The Isle is a dangerous place," Ben said carefully, no intention of accusing anyone of murder. "Ships sink. Bad men burn."
Harry stayed still a moment longer, seeming to calculate what could go wrong. Ben knew he'd decide to sign the document. He could lie if he had to—say he was guessing or hoping. He could say someone else had burned the ship. Or, if push really came to shove, he could take the blame on himself and keep Uma safe.
He put the folder down, picked up a pen and signed.
Ben smiled. "There's a boat…" he had, of course, peeked at the properties. "Do you want me to have it brought to the docks here in Auradon?"
Harry grinned wide.
When Audrey returned to her dorm room, the door was open. She pushed it open, scowl set and ready to be furious, and then she saw Harry. He lounged on her bed, boots on her silk bedspread but she was willing to overlook that for the way his shirt rod up and the waist of his pants rode down, clinging to the curve of his hip and fleshing the bruises she'd left on him. It was a thrill she hadn't expected to find in herself. She dropped her back and kicked her door shut, walking toward him with a growing grin.
"You've come to surrender?" she hummed, excited.
Harry grinned, feline and crazy. Everything about it said she should run but her chin pushed higher. She was in charge. She was a princess. She had him cornered. What could he do? His word against hers. And then his pale gaze slid past her shoulder, behind her, and his smile changed into that ethereal thing that set her jealous heart on fire.
She froze just as a hand slid into the back of her hair, tightening into a fist and pulling until her neck strained, a body against her back. "Say my name," the voice purred in her ear.
Audrey wanted to snarl but panic choked her into whispering, "Uma."
Harry shot up from the bed as though the name brought him to life, dancing around them and landing with his back to the door—to her exit. He hummed a tune, like this was a pleasant moment. She'd never quite seen him like this before.
Uma drove her forward by the grip in her hair, all the way to her desk where she slammed her forward into it. Audrey hissed then, trying to get up but Uma had her arm, twisting it behind her back and bending her over the desk. She gasped, crying out when a sharp pain shot through the limb. "W-Wait… You can't."
Uma laughed but the sound was cruel. She ran her thumb over the manicured, pink nails of the hand she held twisted behind Audrey's back. "I can't? Oh, you stupid girl. I played nice. I didn't fight back because I thought you'd get over this… But you touched him." Her voice darkened, grinding out the words and her thumb pushed at one of those nails, pushed until Audrey screamed and the fake nail ripped up from her finger. "You left bruises and cuts…" She pushed another nail until it tore up. Audrey kicked at her own desk, losing a heel, thumping her head against the surface. "You kissed him, Audrey." Another nail.
Harry was still humming pleasantly, leaned against the door behind their scene.
Uma leaned over her, some of those blue braids falling over the table. "I think we got off on the wrong foot, princess. You thought I was a dock rat to be pushed around, or a sea witch to be burned…" She thumbed back another of Audrey's nails, purging her of a shaking scream. The princess might be angry and dangerous, but she was new to pain. "But I am a pirate—the captain. And I'm done playing by your rules. The next time you look at one of mine, I'll come for your eye. And the next time you touch him…" She twisted the arm harder, straining her shoulder in the socket. "I'll take the hand."
She let her go all at once, stepping back.
Audrey fell off the table onto the floor, kicking at the rug and backing into the corner against her bed, tears dragging her mascara.
Uma stared down at her, unimpressed. "Welcome to life with pirates, princess. Rethink your villain plans while you can."
Harry smiled, opening the door and holding it while Uma walked out. He didn't even look at Audrey, his gaze following his pirate Queen like every move she made was enthralling, the door left to swing shut in their wake.
Uma knocked twice, frowning because that was her go-to expression when she had to talk to Mal—which was almost never. Sure, they saw one another plenty in the halls and classes of Auradon, but they didn't speak much. Uma had definitely never been to her dorm room before.
The door swung open and Mal's nose immediately wrinkled, old grudges rearing up before both girls could set them aside. This was a new world, after all. And, strangely, they were the most alike in it. Mal dragged her gaze over Uma, considering the bruises on one side of her face and the arm Uma had casually pushed into the pocket of her jacket, bent and pressed to her chest to hide that the soreness of her shoulder kept her from using it. But Mal saw it for what it was. "You're looking nice," she said with a cocky smirk.
Uma smiled a little at that familiar acid. "Thanks. Still better than you."
Mal held the door tight, trying to convince herself to invite the other villain kid in, no doubt. Finally she managed it, wrinkling her nose again but stepping back.
Uma stepped inside.
Mal glanced out into the hall, spotting Gil standing there waiting, and laughed once before closing the door.
"I paid Audrey a visit," Uma said.
Mal raised a brow, wondering why she would confess something like that to her.
"I found something," she continued. She hadn't been sure if she'd tell Mal or not. They were far from friends but now, in Auradon, they weren't quite enemies either. She pulled the journal from her jacket and tossed it on the table. "I thought she was obsessed with Harry… You know how you girls get crushes on him sometimes," she smirked, gaze cutting sideways at Mal to remind of a childhood infatuation that had proven most embarrassing.
Mal growled lowly but ignored the jab, picking up the envelope.
"I gave her a warning, but I'm worried she's after something more than what's mine."
Mal flipped the journal open, ready for some frilly pink ink and rants about all the girls Audrey hates. The ink was black and the lettering tight and small, filling the pages. Just skimming them, she found her name and Ben's mentioned as much as Uma and Harry. The rants that filled the pages went on about the future of the throne, in jeopardy with the infectious presence of the villain kids. Pictures of Ben and Mal with Mal's face scratched out. Old pictures of Audrey and Ben. And dozens of crowns doodles madly into the margins.
"She's been obsessed with knowing how I got Harry to be, well, Harry. She thinks there's magic or a spell. And, let's face it, we've both spelled Ben at some point or other…"
"You think she wants to spell him?" Mal said, but it wasn't a question. Flipping through the journal, she could see it. "She wants the throne."
Uma hummed, managing to sound disinterested and annoyed that she had to be involved in this at all.
"Why did you warn me?" Mal asked.
Uma looked back at her, surprised. Why had she done it? "This isn't the Isle."
Mal nodded slowly. "I heard Harry brought Ben to see you last night."
Uma shrugged with her good shoulder, like that was nothing special when they both knew it was. Neither of them liked to be seen when they were hurt, it was a huge show just to have Uma walking into her room in this state, and Harry wasn't one to trust others around his Captain in that condition either. "They're friends."
Mal laughed a little because that was the ridiculous truth of the situation. Finally, she groaned, looking dramatically displeased. "Does that mean we have to be friends?"
Uma grinned. "Nah. But I suppose we could be allies, as long as the boys are involved."
Mal was surprised how much she liked the idea. Having Uma as an ally could be worthwhile—the journal in her hand already proof of that. "Allies, then. We'll work on the Audrey situation together, then?"
Uma nodded in agreement and then started for the door. It wasn't like they were going to start painting each other's nails or some shit.
Gil was in the hall waiting for her where she'd left him. He looked anxious at being left outside while his Captain went in alone to talk to Mal. "Everything okay?" he asked, voice low when he fell into step beside her.
"Peachy."
Gil nodded but then blinked in surprise when Uma went downstairs rather than continuing down the hall. "Wait… Uma. We're supposed to go back to your room."
Uma laughed lowly. "Says who?"
"Says Harry… He said to walk you to Mal's because he had training and then back to your room."
Uma's grin turned sharp. "Who's the Captain, Gil?"
Gil whined. "You are, of course, but—"
"Is Harry the Captain, Gil?"
"No…"
"What was the problem again?"
"You're supposed to go back to your room…" Gil mumbled.
Uma laughed because some things never changed. She walked through the school, not missing the surprised looks of other students at the bruises on one side of her face. She flashed them smiles. She wasn't going to hide. She wasn't going to pretend anymore. They wanted to hit her? Then they'd have to look at it.
She walked all the way to the gym, coming in on the upper floor looking out onto the training floor below. She walked to the railing, looking down at the dozen students in their school sweats and fencing helmets, jumping over obstacles and slashing capped blades at one another.
It took her no time at all to spot her first mate. He had learned their rules of conduct enough to get to play but couldn't conform enough to lose his own style of fighting, his own excess of turns and wide swings. The whistle blew when they were done and Harry threw his sword away from himself, turning and running in her direction. Uma smiled. Of course, he knew she was there.
He jumped up onto the nearest platform and then launched himself up. The onlookers gasped, his teammates laughing below. He caught the railing right in front of her and pulled himself up enough to hook his arms over the rail.
Uma lifted his helmet off, dropping it onto the floor far below.
Harry smiled at her and she used her fingers to push his sweaty hair back from his face. His eyes sparkled at the intimate gesture in front of everyone. "You're supposed to be resting, Captain," he said, breathless from training.
Her hand slid along his jaw, tipping his chin up. "I missed you," she said and his eyes flared with surprise and delight. Of course he knew she loved him—that she wanted to spend all her minutes with him—but she didn't saw soft things. Especially not in public with eyes on them and ear prying.
"Uma," he purred her name, low and just for her even then.
She leaned forward and kissed him, right there in front of everyone.
Thank you all so much for the feedback!
After some thoughtful reviews I've decided to keep this fic Uma/Harry, since they'd be romantically taking over the show anyway. I might do a different fic for a Uma/Harry/Ben romance someday though...
