Belle and Adam's 21st anniversary was the weekend after Ben's coronation anniversary celebration. All week Mal and Ben kept work on setting up the small ballroom for their surprise party. Mal had told Ben about her spell for keeping the room from looking anyway other than empty. So she and Evie could set it up.
Mal would bring Evie into the ball room after school each day. And they would work for an hour or two, then pop back to school. While walking around town Mal and Evie had decided to theme the décor of the party based on Belle's village back home. Belle had shared pictures of her home village that she had taken on a trip back there about 15 years ago. The girls found straw baskets they were going to fill with flowers. The tables were covered with golden yellow table cloths. They had bought fabric that Evie made into cloth napkins for the tables. They placed silver lanterns along the walls, that would be lit with candles for the party. Mal had set up the menu with Mrs. Potts to be some of Belle and Adams favorites.
On the Friday morning of their Anniversary Belle and Adam left for their annual tour of the countryside. Meanwhile as soon as school got out, Mal and her friends hurried to the castle. Ben worked on his paperwork, while Mal and the others made last minute touches to the ball room. They let the quartet in and they set up. Belle and Adam were expecting to have a nice dinner with Mal and Ben for their Anniversary. So when they returned they retired to their suite to get ready. Jay, Evie, Carlos and their dates were given dressing rooms downstairs, near the ball room. As the other royal guests arrived, Ben and Mal greeted them and issued them into the ballroom
First to arrive was Mulan and Li Shang. "Welcome. It is a pleasure to see you again. Thank you for coming." Ben greeted. Mal shook their hands.
"Lonnie and the others are in the ball room." Mal said leading them down the hall.
Next to arrive was Snow White and Ferdinand. Ben lead them down the hall, as Mal was returning for bringing Lonnie's family. They hugged as they past each other in the hall. When Mal arrived in the front hall Lumiere was letting Aurora and Philip into the castle.
"Good Evening." Mal greeted them. "Ben will be back in just a moment. Thank you for coming."
"Why are you out here greeting guests?" Aurora asked.
"She is my co-host. Welcome Princess Aurora, Prince Philip." Ben said coming up next to Mal. "Princess Snow White and Prince Ferdinand and Mulan and Li Shang have already arrived. That means everyone is here. Please join us in the small ball room." Ben took Mal's arm and lead Aurora and Philip into the ball room.
"I have to say Mal, you and Evie did a wonderful job decorating." Snow white said as she and Ben came back into the ball room.
"Thank you." Mal smiled at Evie. "We had a lot of fun. Ben we had better go get your parents."
"Have a seat please, everyone, we will be right back."
Ben and Mal went looking for Belle and Adam. They found them in her office looking at all the pictures on the shelf. Since Mal had been in the office last, there were several new ones. Ben and Mal on her birthday. The four of them after their knighting ceremony. The one of the five of them on the stairs Christmas morning. And now there was one hanging on the wall by her desk. The newest painting Mal made of Belle and Adam. She had hung it there while they were gone. Mal didn't want to make it a big deal in front of the others. "Mal?"
"Happy Anniversary." She smiled. "That's one to keep here."
"Thank you."
"Adam, I know this is more for Belle, so I have a little something for you." She handed him a box of cookies she made the other day. He laughed.
"Don't worry Mal, I come in here often enough to enjoy the painting too." He winked at his wife.
"Shall we go to dinner, Mrs. Potts said she was ready." Ben said. Mal took his arm again, and Adam took Belle's. The older couple followed the younger one into the small ball room. The guests yelled surprise.
"You two…" Belle said hugging the young couple. Adam, fist bumped Ben and hugged Mal. Aurora and Philip watched in shock. They weren't going to come at first, but Leah made them, to see what was up.
After dinner, the quartet played dancing music. Adam lead Belle out onto the floor. Ben and Mal joined them, and soon all the couples were dancing. Philip moved closer to Mal and Ben to listen to their conversations. "I think we surprised them." Ben pointed out, watching his parents.
"I think so too." Mal smiled. "They are still so much in love. Look at how he looks at her."
"I know that look." Ben teases, touching her cheek. "I see it every day."
"It does look familiar." Ben kisses Mal. "Everyone is having a great time."
"I'd say so." He commented, looking around the room. "You know I am gone all weekend next weekend right?"
"Tourney camp. Yes. I think it's great. You need time to be a student again."
"What will you do while I am gone?"
"Besides miss you, Evie and I will find something to do. I guess it's Doug's families weekend to go mining too."
"You can keep each other company, that will work out well."
"I am sure we will be Dude sitting." She laughed. "And fitting our dresses for Snow's ball too."
"Yes that is coming too. Did I tell you I love the décor?"
"About 100 times, but I can hear it again."
"I heard mom tell dad she said it reminded her of the village back home."
"Good that was our goal."
"You and Evie did well."
"Thanks."
Aurora was surprised to hear Mal and Evie had done all the decorating. She began to wonder if Mal wasn't the horrible person her mother and Daughter lead her and Philip to believe. As dessert came out. Mal and Ben brought everyone over to the table, where the cake sat.
"Mal and I want to thank you all for coming. And I also need to thank Mal and Evie for the wonderful job they did making this place. Mom and Dad, Happy 21st and many many more." Ben said handing them the cake knife. They cut the cake. Mal and Ben handed out pieces as Belle and Adam cut them. Aurora waited to be last so she could hear what everyone else said.
"Mal, Ben excellent job. We have enjoyed ourselves." Said Snow White
"Mal dear, lovely décor, Ben this was a nice thing you did for them." Mulan said.
"Evie, you rock." Mal said hugging her friend. "Doug, thanks for letting me borrow her this week?"
"Anytime." He smiled and hugged Evie, planting a kiss onto her cheek.
"Ben. Mal, this was a great night." Jay said.
"Yes, thank you both." Lonnie added. "Your dress came out terrific by the way."
"An Evie original, it's the only designer I will ever wear." Mal said, nodding to her friend.
"She is good. She should go into business." Jane agreed, coming up in the line with Carlos. "Think she would make mine for the Winter Ball?"
"If she has time. She still has to finish hers and mine for Snow White's Anniversary ball, and both of ours for the winter ball. Oh and Belle's for Snow Whites Anniversary ball."
"And mine for the winter ball." Lonnie added.
"You guys when will poor Evie have time to study for finals?" Mal joked. She turned to find Aurora standing waiting for her cake. "I hope you both are having a nice time?" Mal asked
"We are, thank you." Philip said taking a piece of cake. "It was a nice celebration."
"I felt bad my parents 20th was put aside by the coronation, so I had to do something." Ben admitted. "And well Mal was more than willing to help." He squeezed her hand.
"Not a problem. I had fun. I guess the artistic side of me is flourishing."
"I'll say. Have you seen the portraits Mal has done for Adam, Belle and Ben?" Snow White asked Aurora. She shook her head no. Snow grabbed her hand and lead her out and into the hall. She led her into the family room. Aurora stopped and stared at the painting on the royal family hanging over the fireplace. "She did that?"
"From memory, they didn't even have to sit for it."
"Wow." She was actually impressed at the young fairy's talent.
"And the one of Ben in the council room, over his seat, that was Mal too. Again from memory."
"Then there is this one." Belle said coming up behind them, leading them into her office. "This is our anniversary gift."
"Oh Belle, it's lovely." The portrait was Belle and Adam with the castle behind them. In their hands they held their wedding photo. "I so have to have her do one for our anniversary."
"You will have to ask her Snow." Belle said, knowing Mal had already taken it upon herself to do just that. Belle watched Aurora looking at the photos. She came to the photos of the isle kids, Christmas morning. Ben and Mal at the coronation Ball. Aurora couldn't deny there was love in both Ben and Mal's eyes in that picture. Belle came up to her. "A little collection of mine."
"You have their pictures in here too?" She said pointing to the four isle kids and Ben at the coronation
"Yes. That picture was a Christmas gift from Mal, she knew I loved my picture shelf." Aurora picked up the one of Ben and Mal from the coronation. Snow looked at it too.
"Oh, I love that one. Just look at them looking at each other."
"Mal had no idea anyone had taken it. She…she cried the first time she saw it." Belle dared to admit. "She had never seen a picture of herself before that. It was so heartbreaking knowing that she had no way of ever knowing what she looked like as a child, no way to remember. To share with Ben as I shared all these with her."
"No cameras on the isle?" Snow asked
"No. Mal has tons of drawings she did over the years on the isle, but none of herself. Buildings, other people, landscapes. But no self-portraits."
"How do you know?" Aurora asked Belle.
"I have shared it with her." Mal said joining them, Mulan as well. They had wondered where they had gone off too. Mal had been showing Mulan her portrait, and was coming to show her the new one. "It's over here." Mal said coming over to the new one.
"You are so talented Mal."
"Thank you. It was easier to pass the time when I was punished. Thing was, drawing got me in trouble too. It wasn't evil enough." Mal shuttered at the memory.
"Well here it is a gift, and one that will be treasured. I had no idea you did Ben's in the council room as well." Mulan complemented.
"I gave it to him for Christmas, but I had no idea they would hang it in the Council room. I haven't even seen it hanging there yet."
"Oh you will soon." Snow reminded Mal the first council meeting that she and Harriet would sit on was coming up that week. They met every other month on the first Wednesday of that month.
The guests slowly left, the kids first, seeing as though they only had a one-hour extension for their curfew. Mal and Ben stayed, Mal was staying that night in her room.
Mulan and Shang left first , then Snow White and Ferdinand. Last Aurora and Philip. "Thank you for a wonderful evening." They said to both couples.
"You are quite welcome." Ben said. "Thank you both for coming."
After they left, Ben and Mal collapsed onto the bench in the hallway. "You two were something else tonight." Adam said. "I have never been prouder of both of you. Mal you will make a perfect Queen someday." With that Adam bent down kissed the top of her head, and left. Belle hugged them both and left without a word. Nothing else needed to be said after Adam admitted that.
"Did he really just say that?" Mal asked when they were out of ear shot.
"He did your highness." Ben teased. "You were fabmazing." He quoted Evie's favorite saying. "I think we might just have won a small victory in the house of Beauty also."
"Maybe. We'll see at council meeting Wednesday."
"Yeah. Time to turn in Lady Mal."
"I am exhausted." They went up to their rooms.