Hey guys, I really liked writing this chapter so I hope you enjoy reading it. I wish it was 21/07/2017 already! Why on Auradon did they have to release D2 in July? It feels like ages away! FYI I wrote this chapter at the end of May so it makes D2 feels like decades away! Much love RSD xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.
06/07/2018
"Audrey leave us alone!" I begged as I watched as Audrey walked up to me and Ben.
"No I won't!" she puffed as she stamped on the floor. It was at the point as I started to get confused as we were back in Beauty Castle sitting in Ben's room; and for some reason my gut feeling was telling me that something was about to go wrong.
"Ben is mine!" she stressed.
"No he isn't!" I urged as I gripped Ben's hands tightly. I looked up at Ben and I noted that his face looked blank; this started to make me panic - please tell me this wasn't happening for real!
"He is!" Audrey snapped.
"We are getting married" she said smugly which made me tear my eyes away from Ben.
"Today" she stated as a large toothy grin spread across her face.
"No you're not!" I snapped.
"Ben!" I begged as I looked back at Ben.
"I'm sorry Mal" he apologised which made me start to panic.
"But Audrey is right" he advised.
"What?" I asked incredulously which made me start to panic even more. I thought Ben said that this would never happen; he told me that he only wanted to be with me.
"The council have spoken; they have stated that I can't marry a VK" he advised sadly.
"I need to marry a princess" he pressed sadly.
"No!" I cried as tears started to gather in my eyes.
"Yes" he confirmed.
"No come on Benny Boo" Audrey said in a sing-song voice.
"We need to get ready" she advised.
"Of course my dear" Ben replied as he let go of my hands.
"My dear?" I asked slowly as I felt a burning start in my chest.
"Mal just don't make a scene" Ben said sadly as he slowly stood up.
"This is hard enough as it is" he said as he pursed his lips together.
"Ben?" I begged as I watched as Ben walked towards Audrey.
"Please don't do this" I pleaded and quickly stood up and walked up to Ben and Audrey.
"Get her away from the King and Queen" I heard a voice say and I turned my head to notice that Queen Leah had just walked into the room with four guards stood behind her.
"No!" I shouted. The guards quickly ran towards me and grabbed me as I tried to grab Ben; I watched as Ben was led out of the room as I continued to fight with the guards. I couldn't believe that this was happening. Me and Ben loved each other did this not mean anything!
"Ben!" I shouted.
"Don't do this!" I begged as tears flowed down my eyes.
"Please!" I pleaded.
"Mal!" I heard someone shout.
"Mal!" I heard the voice say again as someone started to shake me.
"Come on wake up!" they advised and my eyes snapped open. My eyes frantically looked around the room and I was met with a very startled Evie looked down at me. I sighed as I realised that I was having another nightmare however before I could push the fear away a strong stabbing pain hit my stomach.
"Urgh!" I cried out as my hands flew to my stomach.
"Mal!" Evie shouted as she quickly reached over and turned the bedside light on next to me.
"Tell me what is wrong?" she begged.
"No!" I shouted as my head now also started to ache and make me feel dizzy.
"Mal is this your EI playing up?" she asked as I cried out in pain again.
"Come here" she said and she pulled me into a tight hug so my face was now pressed against her chest.
"What's happening?" Evie asked as she started to stroke my hair in an attempt to try and calm me.
"Urgh!" I shouted out again when I felt another sharp pain in my stomach.
"I'll get Ben" she advised.
"NO!" I shouted as I gripped her tightly from preventing her from leaving me. I didn't want Ben to know; he would only worry. I know that he would want to be here for me but I didn't want him to think that I was letting things get on top of me. Yes they were and I know that I was being stupid but I wanted to try and deal with this on my own without worrying him.
"No!" I repeated as I started to sob.
"UUUURRRRGGGHHH!" I cried out.
"No!" I stated as tears started to flow down my cheeks and stained Evie's t-shirt.
"I can't!" I begged.
"You can't?" she asked.
"M let me in!" Evie begged.
"Please!" she pleaded.
"I had a nightmare about losing him again; he had already reassured ME!" I advised but I ended up crying out on pain at the end of the sentence.
"I can't let him know" I advised as I tried to push the lump away that I had let form in my throat.
"I really can't" I stressed as I tried to work on regulating my breathing so I could stop crying.
"I don't want to hurt him seeing me like this" I advised.
"I need to get through it" I said as I tried to convince myself more than Evie.
"Mal you need to calm down you are going to wake everyone up" Evie advised which made me slowly look up.
"Sorry" I apologised as I narrowed my eyes as my vision started to get blurry.
"Come on M" she said soothingly.
"You are never going to lose Ben" she stated.
"No matter your dreams" she dismissed.
"What if he can't stop them?" I cried.
"Stop who?" Evie wondered.
"The council" I spat as I felt my stomach and chest bubble.
"What?" she asked and I started to cry inconsolably again.
"Mal calm down!" she begged.
"I think I need to get Ben" she muttered.
"No!" I said as I gripped her tightly again.
"I don't want to worry him" I advised.
"He can probably hear you" she stated bluntly.
"Hmph!" I puffed as I let my heavy head drop against her head slightly. I felt Evie readjust herself on the bed slightly and I heard a slight thump on the bedside cabinet; I was about to question what she was doing but another sharp pain hit my stomach which made me cry out again.
"We can't be left on our own" I advised.
"I'm not going anywhere" she promised.
"E I'm so sorry" I apologised.
"It's ok M" she said soothingly.
"Everything is going to be ok" she promised as she ran her fingers through my hair.
"Ignore your dreams" she stated.
"You know Ben loves you" she reminded me. We both then heard a knock on our bedroom door and I quickly sat up and glared at her through tear filled eyes.
"You've got Ben?" I accused.
"Come in" she called and I quickly threw myself back down on the bed and pulled the covers over my head.
"What wrong?" I heard Ben ask after he opened the door.
"Erm" Evie said nervously as I heard the door close behind Ben.
"Mal?" Ben called at me.
"Mal what's happened?" I heard Ben quickly ask.
"Mal I'm going to tell him" Evie warned me.
"NO!" I shouted back and I curled tightly into a ball.
"Urgh!" I cried out in pain.
"Mal let me in" I heard Ben say and I heard movement which told me that Ben had quickly moved towards my bed.
"I can't!" I cried.
"I can't!" I repeated as I closed my eyes tight to try and contend with my headache.
"Evie you need to tell me!" Ben begged.
"Ben Mal has-" she started.
"Don't!" I begged.
"Please!" I pleaded.
"Mal I have to!" Evie begged and I started to cry. I felt Ben try to pull the covers away however I tightened my fingers onto the bed clothes to prevent him in doing this; I was starting to panic. I hated Ben seeing me like this; especially when I got to this extreme. I knew that he could help me out of it but I hated seeing Ben upset.
"Since Mal's nightmare at Beauty Castle; she's been dealing with an EI flare up-" Evie quickly muttered which made me freeze.
"Mal" Ben said sadly and I started to hyperventilate.
"Is this true?" he asked slowly and my ribcage heaved which made my cry out in pain.
"Mally" Ben said and I felt him stroke the top of my head through the bed covers.
"So I'm guessing she's let things get on top of her again?" he asked Evie.
"Yes" she confirmed.
"She just had another nightmare" she added.
"Something about you can't stop the council" she finished.
"Mal" Ben said and I felt him climb on the bed behind me. This time when he pulled the covers away from me and he climbed into the bed with me so he was now between me and Evie. I pulled my knees further up to my chest and I felt the covers land on me and Ben again as he quickly wrapped his arms around me and he spooned me.
"I wish you had told me about this" he muttered into my ear before he pressed a kiss against my cheek.
"I couldn't!" I cried.
"There was too much going on; I hated lying to you but I didn't want to worry you. You have enough without me going on like this" I managed to get out before I groaned in pain.
"But I can't help it" I stated as I bit down on my bottom lip.
"I hate it!" I cried before I started sobbing. I felt Ben's arms tighten around me again and he pressed another kiss against my cheek in a bid to try and calm me down.
"Mal I'm not going anywhere" he muttered.
"Especially not with Audrey, you know you are the only one I want. No matter what the council think or say; you are my bride" he explained slowly and smoothly as he started to snuggle into my hair.
"I hate feeling this this" I said as I groaned in pain.
"I know baby; but there is nothing wrong with feeling like this" Ben answered.
"But you just need to remember what is the truth and what is a dream" he reminded me.
"Yeah" I agreed.
"Ben please never leave me!" I cried.
"I promise" he said lovingly as he reached up and stroked my left cheek with his right hand.
"As long as you won't leave me" he said and I felt his left hand drop from my face and it slid underneath my vest and he cupped my stomach.
"Never" I promised as I gritted my teeth together so I couldn't cry out in pain.
"Ben come around this side" I advised.
"Ok" Ben replied.
"Why?" he asked.
"My stomach hurts to move and-" I started but stopped as I grunted in pain.
"I want to cuddle properly" I admitted.
"As you wish Princess" Ben said before pressing a kiss to my cheek. I felt Ben's hands and arms untangle theirselves around me and I watched as he climbed over me so was now on the left hand side of the bed; he pulled the covers out of the way and he slid in front of me. I looked up at him and he smiled at me and I slid next to him and pressed my head against his chest as his arms claimed me again.
"Hello there" Ben teased which made me look up at him.
"Hello" I groaned.
"Hey Dragon" Ben said as he started to stroke my back.
"Come on" he reassured.
"Everything is ok" he promised.
"Promise?" I stupidly asked. I knew that things were going to be ok; but I needed Ben's reassurance. I needed him to discount my nightmare and every negative thought that was currently pulsing through my head.
"Promise" he said bringing me out of my train of thought before I could fixate upon it.
"Urgh!" I groaned as my stomach twinged. I felt Ben rock me lightly and he pressed a kiss into my head and I snuggled into his chest; we were laid like this for a few minutes with no one saying a word. I started to feel my eyes roll in exhaustion but my eyes snapped open when I felt Ben move. Ben slid down the bed slightly and he pushed his face close to mine and he brushed his nose against mine.
"I love you" he said lovingly.
"I love you too" I answered.
"Mal I'm not going to marry anyone else" he stated.
"Just you" he pressed.
"No matter what anyone thinks" he dismissed.
"Soul mate" he said with a small smile.
"Soul mate" I repeated. I smiled at Ben and pressed a kiss to his lips and I quickly slid my head against the crook of his neck and snuggled in. I felt the pain in my chest, head and stomach start to fade and I couldn't help but sigh. Ben always managed to make me feel better; and to be honest I was now mentally kicking myself for keeping this from Ben and letting it go too far.
"Evie" I heard Ben say.
"Yeah" she replied.
"Sorry if this awkward" Ben said nervously and I felt his hands slid under my vest at the bottom of my back.
"It's ok, it's not" she dismissed.
"It would appear you will always be able to calm Mal down better than me" she teased.
"Yeah" Ben advised as he pressed another kiss to the top of my head.
"Thanks for texting me" he said happily.
"You're welcome" she answered.
"I didn't know whether I was going to get you" she said which made me pull one brow up - why was Ben awake at this time in the morning? I then quickly discarded this thought; he was probably up doing paperwork.
"I was awake" he advised.
"Working?" Evie asked.
"Something like that" Ben chuckled as he tightened his arms around me.
"What?" Evie asked slowly.
"Never mind" Ben said as I snuggled into his chest.
"Someone getting comfortable?" Ben teased as he looked down at me.
"Do you want me to move?" I asked as I let my heavy eyes roll at him as I looked up at him.
"No, I'm teasing you" he advised.
"I guessed" I said as I let my heavy head drop back against his chest.
"But you might not-" I started to mutter.
"Stop this" Ben said cutting me off.
"On what planet will I not want to cuddle with you?" I heard him ask. My mind started to frantically worry about a time when Ben wouldn't want to cuddle me and then my mind started to fixate on my nightmare and the pain in my stomach started to creep back up.
"One where we can't get married!" I cried as I snuggled my face into his chest.
"One where I lose you!" I sobbed.
"Hey!" Ben said soothingly as he tightened his arms around me.
"Mally" Ben cooed as he started to run his fingers through my hair.
"I didn't mean for that to upset you" he advised.
"I'm sorry" he apologised as he pressed a kiss against the top of my head.
"Mal listen to me" he pressed and he slid his hands onto my face and he lifted my face up so I was now forced to look up at him.
"You are the only one for me, you know this" he stated as he stared into my tear filled eyes.
"Back at you Beastie!" I cried as I wiped my eyes.
"Hmmmm" Ben purred before he pressed a prolonged kiss to my forehead.
"Please stop crying!" he begged as he looked back into my eyes.
"I'll try" I promised as I tried to calm my breathing down.
"But I'm so scared" I confirmed as I sniffed.
"I know you are but nothing or no one is ever going to change how I feel about you Mal" he advised.
"Or take me away from you, I promise" he stated lovingly.
"I love you Ben" I said lovingly.
"I love you too Mal" he replied with a small smile before I snuggled back into his chest. I then worked on regulating my breathing and trying to get the pain to subside.
It took a while before I managed to stop crying and for the pain to subside; however my two best friends helped me through it. In a way I was glad that this happened here and not in South Riding; I didn't know how I would have been able to hide this from Queen Leah and Audrey.
"You ok?" I heard Ben say after a little while of us all lying in silence as he continued to run his fingers up and down my spine on my lower back.
"Yeah" I advised.
"Thank you" I grumbled as I looked up at him.
"Anytime" he said with my favourite cute smile.
"Do you need to go?" I asked as I started worry in case his parents came looking for him.
"No" Ben advised.
"I'm staying here" he added.
"Where I belong" he promised sincerely before he pressed a brief kiss against my lips.
"Sorry Evie" I said as I suddenly remembered that Evie had been sitting and watching this; yes at one point she laid down on our bed and played with her phone but I knew that she would have still felt a little awkward.
"Evie?" I prompted and I turned my head and noticed that she was staring into space; actually she was staring in mine and Ben's direction.
"Sorry" she apologised after she was broken out of her train of thought.
"What were you looking at?" I asked slowly as I pulled one brow up.
"Erm" she said nervously.
"E?" I said as I slowly sat up. Was there something else wrong?
"I was looking at the love bite on Ben's chest; I just noticed it that's all" she advised as she tore her eyes away from Ben's chest and looked at my face.
"I see" I said before I quickly pressed a kiss to Ben's chest which made him smile down at me.
"That's how it started" he teased before he pressed a kiss against my lips.
"My mischievous dragon" he flirted which made me chuckle.
"Are you feeling better?" Ben asked as he started to stare into my eyes.
"Yeah" I advised.
"You always make me feel better" I said happily and I pushed my face into Ben's chest again and I snuggled into my chest.
"Glad I have my uses" he laughed as he snuggled into my hair.
"Yeah" I repeated.
"Yeah you do" I added as I started to feel playful. I started to litter Ben's chest with kisses which made him tighten his arms around me; however when I placed a fourth prolonged kiss to his chest I then crushed my lips against his skin and placed another love bite just next to his other one.
"Mal!" Ben exclaimed which made me break out into a laughing fit.
"Hmph!" he puffed as he quickly looked down and stroked his chest.
"Is that how it is, is it?" Ben teased and he dropped his hands to my waist and he started to tickle me. I heard Evie start to laugh as I started to shriek and giggle as I tried to wriggle away from his hands however I was unable to due to there not being enough room without rolling onto Evie.
"Stop!" I begged as I covered my mouth with my hands to try and contend with the giggling.
"Please!" I begged through my hands.
"We will wake everyone up!" I shrieked as I quickly removed my hands from my mouth and I tried to push Ben away.
"We will get in trouble for you being here" I stated.
"Fine!" Ben puffed and he stopped tickling me.
"But you owe me" he flirted before he pressed a kiss to my lips.
"On this note I'm going to the toilet" Evie said awkwardly.
"Sorry E" I said as I quickly turned and looked at her.
"It's ok" she replied as she climbed off our bed.
"You're not doing anything bad" she chuckled.
"Now try and be good" she mocked as she pretended to tell us off.
"I can't promise anything" I teased.
"Oh really" Ben said suggestively and he pulled me close to him.
"Ben" I flirted as I heard our bathroom door close.
"If it means that much to you quickly give me another one on my stomach" I teased.
"I will" he said smugly as he pulled the covers back.
"I'm sure you like me doing this" he laughed.
"Maybe" I said as a large toothy grin spread across my face.
"Knew it" he exclaimed which made me giggle. I then watched as Ben slowly pulled my vest up and he started to pepper kisses on my stomach. I giggled at Ben doing this and I started to run my fingers through his hair. I watched as Ben winked at me before he pressed three prolonged kisses under my belly button; however when he pressed his lips against me for the fourth time he crushed his lips against me and he started my love bite. I couldn't help but groan at the sensation of his lips and tongue work against my skin as it was sending shivers through my body.
I then watched as Ben slowly looked up at me and he grinned against my skin; so I grinned down and winked at him. Ben then pulled his lips away from me and he admired his handy work that was now in the middle of my now two faded love bites. He then winked at me and he went to push his lips against my stomach again and I thought it was going to give me another love bite; however my body froze and I couldn't stop giggling as Ben blew a loud raspberry on my stomach.
I then watched as Evie re-entered the room and she looked nervous in case she was disturbing anything and I smiled at her to reassure her that she wasn't; as Evie climbed back onto the bed me and Ben then re-adjusted ourselves on the bed so I was now snuggled back into Ben's chest.
"Evie?" I heard Ben ask as I suddenly felt tired.
"Yes Ben" she replied as Evie threw the covers back onto her.
"Do you mind if I stay? I promise we aren't going to do anything" he promised as he pulled the covers back over us both.
"Not at all, Mal needs you" she replied happily as my eyes started to roll.
"Yeah" Ben agreed.
"She's falling asleep" I heard Ben advise and I pushed my face further into his chest.
"Bless her" Evie cooed.
"Yeah" Ben repeated.
"My perfect girl" Ben said as he kissed the top of my head as I started to drift to sleep.
