Time for the Harvest
The weekend after family day was the Harvest Ball. The new isle kids were doing better at fitting in. Mal and her friends were moving through their junior year without any issues. Mal was approved to enter the music competition based on the rule Harriet found. Mal had helped Harriet with her audition and she received the duet with Chad and the trio slot with Lonnie and Melody. Mal had felt bad about telling Melody she wasn't going to enter, but to be honest when she told Melody that, she had no idea she could. Audrey was fuming that she wasn't the female in the duet. Chad on the other hand was ok with it. Harriet was willing to look into entertaining songs, were he knew Audrey wouldn't have wanted to. The competition was still weeks away. In fact, it was in the beginning of December, so she had time.
Right now she and her friends were more concerned with what trouble Dr. Facilier planned for the Harvest Ball. The only two things they knew for sure was the day, and that it would happen after dark. When the ball started it would be for a 5:00 dinner. That ended at 6:15, the dance would begin at 6:30. They had 15 minutes to freshen up, and cross the common to the gym from the cafeteria. If Mal had, had to guess, Dr. Facilier and his shadows would strike as they crossed the common.
They had hoped he or the shadows would return and Harriet would hear them, but no luck. So they were on their own. The dance was on Friday, and it was Wednesday. It was 6:00 Wednesday night and Mal, Evie and Jane were in magic class.
"Mal, did you bring your wand?" Fairy Flora asked her. Mal didn't always bring it, as she wanted to be as strong as she could without it.
"Yes, I thought with what is happening Friday, I might need to have it on hand tonight."
"Well, the only problem is someone might see you." Fairy Godmother pointed out.
"I know. And honestly if his plan is to get caught, how much of a fight do you really think he's going to put up?" Evie pointed out.
"That is true, but I am glad you brought it. I want to teach you something with it." She paused as Agathe arrived. She took Evie aside to start her lesson. As Evie became more competent with her magic, Agathe came more often. "Ok, take it out."
Mal pulled it out of her bag. It took Jane's breath away every time she saw it. "Hand it to Jane."
Mal did as requested. Jane had held it before. They had tested the wand to see if it responded to the other Fairies, and how well it did. Jane actually had better luck with Mal's than her mothers.
"Jane. Just cross the room please. Mal I want you to try the spell you used to get Fairy Godmothers wand from your mother.
"And now I command Wand to my hand." This time the wand didn't fly to Mal, but it disappeared and reappeared in her hand. Mal was stunned. "How, why?"
"Distance. Pop out with it, and hide it in your room, in its safe place. Then come back and try it again. I am testing not only your power over the wand but the strength of the bond you and the wand have. There is only so far it will travel. I think you can call it from anywhere on campus, but that is the max." Mal left and was back in just a few minutes.
"And now I command wand to my hand." Nothing happened.
"We might need to change the spell. Try and think it through."
"From where you hide, now be at my side." Mal held out her hand, this time, the wand appeared in her hand.
"Wow Mal, that's great." Jane praised.
"So now as long as you are, I would say within a mile of the wand, you should be able to call it. This doesn't mean it can cross over magical barriers or onto the isle. Which was why I couldn't call the wand from the museum, that was a magical barrier."
"That's fine with me. I don't have anywhere that meets those guide lines. But if I need it against Facilier, I can call it and not have to carry it and worry about it being seen unless necessary."
While Mal was learning that spell, Evie was learning a spell with her cauldron. "Now Evie, you have put one of your mother's spells to good use. This potion, as it sits in the cauldron, will help you see into the darkness. It should help you see what the shadows are up too. And it may just see what they have planned in the future. Unlike your mirror that can help you locate things that are in the present, this spell will work on the past and to a certain degree the future. Try the spell as I wrote it."
"I call upon the darkness to show with in my brew. Tell me what in the future Dr. Facilier and the shadows hope come true."
The potion glowed. Evie and Agathe looked into the pot. The glow faded, and they saw the barrier fall and the villians march across the bridge. They saw, the school empty and easily taken. Than the villians splitting out across Auradon, taking the royals from their beds early Christmas Morning. Heaps of gifts placed onto the ground in front of Facilier and the shadows. The shadows had taken form, looking like silhouettes of people. The potion glowed and faded. "Well at least we know their definatly planning a return on Christmas Day, before dawn. Try the dance."
"I call upon the darkness to show with in my brew what Dr Facilier has planned for the dance to happen to my crew." The potion glowed, and faded. Evie saw Mal and Ben crossing the common alone. The lights went out, and Facilier grabbed Mal. Ben was grabbed by the shadows. Mal gets away, and calls for help. The shadows run. Ben grabs Facilier, and the guards take him into custody. Evie watches as it fades away.
"Well Audrey's little chaperone plan won't help him any."
"I think this needs to happen this way. Mal and Ben will need to duck away from their chaperone then. Either that, or it must be one of the original isle kids. Then they can fall back so that it happens this way. Facilier has seen this future as well. He will expect it to happen this way."
"But won't he know we know about his plan?"
"No. His powers to see into the future can be limited by time. Time is always changing, so the future is never set in stone so to speak. The most any of us can see into the future is a week at best."
"But I saw Christmas…oh I asked it to show me what they hoped would happen, right."
"Exactly, what one desires and the true future may be the same, but more likely than not, it is never what we actually get. And what we see today in the future, will possibly be different tomorrow."
"What about Mal's protections, should she wear them?"
"Yes, he uses no mind control over her, so he is expecting to see them on her."
"That's good cause there is no getting that ring of Mal's finger." Evie teased. Even Agathe now knew about the story of The Rose, not the one she left with Adam, but the ring Mal wore proudly on her left hand.
"No, no we need to keep things as he saw it."
"Ok, that's it for tonight. See you girls next week." Fairy Godmother called at 7:30.
Mal and Evie walked back to the dorms, Mal had her wand tucked away in her coat. Evie left her cauldron in the office, for Agathe to properly dispose of the potion. "So how did it go tonight E?"
"I have information, but later." She looked around knowing the shadows were close by in the dark. They were always careful of dark places, knowing the shadows were listening.
Once back in their room, lights bright, Mal waited for Evie to fill her in. "I think we need everyone involved here. I'll get the boys, can you find Ben?"
"On, it." Evie left for the boy's room and Mal called Ben.
"Hello." Ben answered. "What's up Mal?"
"We have news for Friday. Where are you?"
"Just got back to my room, be right there."
"Ok. Evie went for the boys. We will wait for you." She added knowing that his room was further across campus that the boys. They were down the hall.
After everyone was in the room, and the door closed. Evie turned all the lights on. Mal said the for our ears only spell. And they listened to Evie tell them about the cauldron
"So first we asked the cauldron to tell us what Facilier believes the future will be, and they plan to attack just before dawn. So we can watch the bridge for night into dawn just to make sure. Then we asked the cauldron what Dr. Facilier plans to do Friday. He plans to grab Mal as she crosses with Ben from the Cafeteria to the dance. Thing is we need to get one of us with them at all times, so Audrey isn't there to chaperone. Facilier has seen this future and that has to happen. If it's one of us, we can fall back and let it happen, and get the guards in when needed."
"Ok, so we will make sure Evie, Jay or Carlos is with us when we leave. Whoever falls behind, keeps Audrey and Chad out of it."
"Leave Audrey to me." Jay said. "Why don't you three leave as couples and then hang back. Where on the common exactly Evie?"
"Trees by the picnic tables, is where he jumps out. The shadows will take out the street lamp there. We can hold back, just on the older side of the other set of trees. Evie can 'drop something, and we will send you two ahead, You have to be there to open the dance, so that's our reason to wait and onl sedn you."
"That's fine. The guards, how long till they come in?"
"Not long actually. Maybe we should have them with us?"
"No. They should be walking around but still it was at least a few minutes that they whole thing unfolded."
"OK. I will have them patrol close to the Gym. That's about two to three minutes run." Ben pointed out.
"Yes, that will work." Evie verified. "Ok, remember we have to hang back and not interfere. Jay you'll keep the pink princess and Chad off our backs right?"
"Done."
"Ok so that's the plan. Jay will fill Lonnie in and Carlos, Jane doesn't know what the cauldron showed Evie, because she was helping me with a new trick, so you can fill her in. Evie you have Doug."
"On it." They all answer.
"Ben can handle the guards with Fairy Godmother."
They talked for a little while longer, then the boys left. Mal and Evie worked on their gowns.
As the school week wore on, the excitement for the ball grew. For the original VK's it was worry their plan would work. For the Harriet it was worry that she wouldn't fit in, the twins were on thin ice after family day and one more incident and they would be banned from the dance, and for Freddie she was worried that her father would somehow manage to take her away with him back to the isle, and she didn't want that anymore. She was actually beginning to like it here.
Mid-way through the week the gang was sitting in the cafeteria for lunch. Ben was already on his way to the castle for his royal duties. They had gone over the plan so many times they were seeing it in their sleep. "Maybe we are too prepared. I say let's skip the go over this time." Jay said.
"I wasn't going to actually." Mal said "I actually wanted to talk about other more important things. First next week on Friday is Ben's parent's anniversary. Have you guys got everything set with your dates?"
"Lonnie has her stuff together."
"Jane too."
"Doug is all set and looking forward to seeing his Anutie Snow. Speaking of which, did you and Ben get invitied to Snow White's anniversary ball. I guess its their 30th."
"Yes. We have a huge issue there, I do not look good in red, blue or yellow." The boys exchanged looks.
"Ok so there is a theme to the ball. Snow White's signature colors. You have to wear, red, blue, yellow black or white. I am guessing you are going black with some white?" Evie asked Mal.
"That's the plan. I…I want to run the dress design by Belle first. I don't want to mess this up. Snow is not only your step sister, but she is Belles best friend. That means pleasing two of the most important people in my life."
"AHHH, how sweet." Audrey whined walking by. "But I doubt you will be attending that event."
"Actually she will be." Doug said coming to join them. "My Auntie Snow has added Ben and Mal because well he is the king. And as always all the dwarves and their families are always allowed, and since Evie is her step sister, she's invited too."
"So my parents can bring Me and Chad?"
"Not unless the invite said that." Doug pointed out. "I would think you would know by now, the invites went out weeks ago." Audrey grumbled and walked away, they could see her pull her cell out as she walked away. "We know who she's calling."
"Grammie." They all said at once, then dissolved into a fit of laughter.
On Friday classes released after 12:00 to get ready for the dance. Mal and Evie were in their room getting ready to go. Mal's dress was a knee length deep purple dress with teal accents around it. Evies was tea length red with blue accents. After dressing, Evie swept Mal's hair up into a facny do, and then places the clip Ben gave her for family day last year. Sewn into a hidded pocet on her dress were her leather bracelet and dragon necklace. Although Mal wanted to wear them, Evie felt they clashed with the dress. The Rose sat proudly on Mal's right hand. Evie usually left her hair down, but she claimed this dress called for an up do as well. Her crown sent over by her mother fit perfectly with the dress.
The boys arrived to escort the girls to the cafeteria. Audrey with Chad in tow came running up. "Chaperones here." She bragged.
"All the law says is we can't be alone, it never said you have to follow us. We have Evie and Doug for the night, thanks." Ben said. Taking Mal's hand and leading her away, Doug and Evie following suit.
"Not on my watch." Audrey barked.
"Just let it go already Audrey!" Chad complained. "They aren't alone it's fine. Honestly you need to get over it. He chose Mal, end of story."
"It is never the end of the story."
"Fine the chapter where you get to marry Ben and be Queen is over."
"Enough with the book metaphors. Come on they are getting away."
In the cafeteria they all enjoyed a wonderful meal. The cafeteria was decked out with wonderful harvest colors of gold, rust and forest green. As they finished they started to head out to the rest rooms then to cross campus to the dance. The last to leave the cafeteria restrooms were Mal, Evie Jane and Audrey. "Ok, time to head to the dance." Audrey prompted.
"See you there." Mal said heading back to find her friends, the other girls following her.
They stood together, boys and girls. Fairy Godmother had already walked over. The only adults were the cleaning staff and cooks. Mal looked at Jay, who along with Lonnie set about to distract Chad and Audrey. If Jay could keep Chad busy, Audrey would have no choice but to stay. No one was allowed to cross campus alone, that had always been a rule since the whole Maleficent attack.
"Chad, so what is this I hear about Tourney camp? Why do I not remember this from last year." Jay said putting his arms around Chad and moving him away from Mal and the rest. Audrey huffed and followed them as did Lonnie. Lonnie started to talk to Audrey about the one thing she knew would get her attention, her dress.
As they were deep in conversation, the rest of the gang headed out. They crossed the common. As they headed towards the picnic tables, Doug pretended to need to tie his shoe so they could fall back. Doug, Evie, Carlos and Jane stood back and waited. Mal and Ben continued on.