I literally spent ages on this chapter looking at pictures of purple ball gowns deciding what I wanted just so you know. As much as I loved Mal's gown in the film it was right for the partner of the future King but it's not what I'd imagine someone wearing to their own Coronation. Villiangirl: Yeah, Audrey definitely has a good plan-remember she was very reassuring when Mal said she wasn't sure about her dress as it was so she was already sort of prepared for it not being perfect. Jeremy: Mal loves her parents, they loved her and raised her and she knows Maleficent wasn't a good parent from how she was when she first arrived in Auradon and things Ben's said so I can promise that she'd never ever choose Maleficent over Belle and Adam.
By the time Audrey returned, towing Evie along behind her Mal was more calm, though that wasn't saying much.
Belle had managed to start on Mal's make up-though the purple haired girl rarely wore too much-she generally preferred the more natural look.
When the two girls burst into the room they were both out of breath, and Evie gasped loudly when she saw the Coronation dress. "Oh my goodness! That's horrible! Audrey told me what happened." Evie moved quickly. "Thankfully I have a solution... Audrey mentioned that you weren't sure about your dress so I... I know maybe it's overstepping but I... I wanted to do something to thank you for everything you've done for us." as Evie spoke she was kneeling by her bed, and Audrey was unhanging the ruined dress, which she dragged to the corner of the room and dumped before returning to help Evie pull a dress bag out from under the bed, it was as bulky as the one Belle and Lumiere had brought in before, and Mal's eyes widened.
"Oh Evie what-did you-"
"I made you a dress.. I thought even if you didn't wear it at the Coronation you could wear it another time." Evie admitted as she and Audrey lifted the bag so that they could hang it on the door of the closet where the other dress had been moments before. "It's my secret project."
"Oh Evie!" Mal covered her mouth with her hand, forcing back stunned tears of gratitude, "You shouldn't have."
"Clearly she should have." Audrey shot back with a grin as together the girls got to work, unzipping the bag, and once it was unzipped Evie pulled the cover aside and Mal and Belle both gasped in shock at the sight of the dress.
It was undoubtedly a work of art.
It had a yoked bodice, the top part of it made of a delicate white lace in the pattern of roses, which stretched into sleeves that would come to Mal's elbows, the bodice itself was a pale lavender which got darker lower down the dress in an ombre style with the white lace along the top and dipping down in the center to come to a halt about mid stomach level where it met what almost looked like a belt of deep purple gems, with a large amethyst in the center of the belted part. The skirt of the dress continued the ombre trend into a deep dark purple at the bottom, it flared out as a ballgown should, and there was white black lace that was stitched onto the skirt emerging from the belt of the dress, once again in rose patterns that almost followed the lines of the dress where the natural folds of the skirt were, so that each section had lace on, wider at the top and forming almost a triangle pointing towards the ground on each part, and at the bottom of the dress beautiful fine lace butterflies made of lighter and dark purples laces were stitched to the bottom of the dress in a way that made it look almost as though the were fluttering about the skirt.
"Oh my goodness." Belle's voice was hushed and she squeezed Mal's shoulder gently, "It's perfect."
"It is." Mal nodded, blinking rapidly to dispel the tears of joy, "Oh my god Evie I... it's perfect!" and Mal almost flew across the room, crashing into Evie and hugging her tightly, "You're the best I love you so much!"
That made Evie laugh and the other girl hugged her back, "Of course." she flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Now let's all get dressed shall we?"
"Lumiere." Belle smiled warmly, "Can you go to the boys dorm room and make sure they're okay."
"Of course." Lumiere bowed his head, smiling warmly, "And might I say that I'm looking forward to seeing you being crowned Mallory, good luck." the servant left then and with that the girls got to work, with Belle mostly overseeing them as together the three of them did their make up-or Audrey and Evie focused on Mal's make up first since the soon to be Queen was not good at all with a make-up brush.
They kept it very simple, and once Evie had finished applying the fairly natural shade lipstick she and Audrey had already picked out the two others girls started on their own make up, though Evie paused when she looked in the mirror, hesitating as she reached up and touched the thin red scabbed up scratch marks from Family day. Then she took a deep breath, "My mom would order me to cover these up." her voice made the two girls and one adult look at her. And Audrey spoke up first.
"Do you want to?" her voice was soft.
"I..." Evie shook her head, "No... no I don't think I do. They... they're horrible but I'm not ashamed." Evie's voice grew slightly more confident as she spoke, and Mal smile.
"You shouldn't be." she agreed softly, "You look beautiful they don't change that. They just show that you're strong and brave."
"Mal is right." Belle nodded, "You'll look lovely either way."
"At least I won't be on the TV like you Mal... everyone's gonna be watching the Coronation.. probably best my mom doesn't see." Evie gave a wry smile before she got to work with her make up, keeping it much simpler than usual, focusing on her eyes and lips rather than the rest of her skin-which was flawless anyway.
After the make up was done it was hair time, and once more Mal's was done first, her curls brushed out and hanging loose, with pretty white gemstones dotted across her long curls, fixed in place just so.
Audrey's was pulled up into a simple twist updo, her delicate tiara, with pretty pink gems settled into place just so, and Evie's was pulled back out of her face, a section from either side twisted and fastened behind her head with a hair grip, her own tiara perching on her blue curls.
And then it was time to get dressed, though the two other girls pulled on their dresses first.
Audrey's was a light pink, the bodice covered with shimmering pink beads with short sleeves and white ribbon to break up all the pink, and Evie's was blue, strapless with a long skirt with layers and layers of chiffon ruffles and a little blue cape to wear over it.
Once the others were dressed they, along with Belle, helped Mal into the magnificent gown that Evie had created for her.
That took some time, they had to be careful to make sure that nothing ripped, even as Evie carefully zipped up the back of the dress. But once she was in it Mal had to admit the dress was a perfect fit and she let out a soft noise as she stared into the mirror.
"Oh wow... I... you guys..."
"It's you." Audrey's voice was soft, "It is your perfect dress Mal."
"You look like a Queen." Belle's voice was soft, "I have never felt more proud of you sweetie."
"I... thank you." Mal blinked back tears again, smiling softly, "I feel beautiful. Is there anything else I need-"
"I think you should wear this!" Evie darted over to her bedside table and pulled something out of a drawer quickly, spinning and rushing back to Mal to hold up the necklace that Ben had given her-that she'd thrown into the bin.
"You-"
"I found it, I assume it fell off at some point." Evie's voice was gentle.
"Oh my that's lovely." Belle took the necklace gently, "The rose... where did you get this sweetie?"
"Braeden." Mal flushed, smiling softly, "Braeden gave it to me."
"That's adorable." Belle smiled, "You should wear it, it would mean the world to him I'm sure."
"You really should." Audrey nodded, "You.. god Mal you look perfect."
And Belle carefully fastened the necklace around Mal's neck, pulling back slightly to look at it before humming to herself, "And I have something for you as well."
"Oh?" Mal tilted her head, "What is it?"
Belle opened her bag and pulled out a smooth red ring, no more than a simple band, "It's made out of a petal of the enchanted rose." Belle explained, "I had it made for your father.. it glows when he puts it on. Just for a moment or so.. the magic responds to him." She smiled, "Perhaps... if you really like this Braeden, you should let him wear this today."
"Oh." Mal let out a soft shocked noise, "Oh mom I-"
"It's your choice." Belle held the little ring out, "The petal was folded and encased in glass to form a ring,"
"I will." Mal swallowed hard, "I'll give it to him to wear. Thank you mom." Mal smiled at her mother, taking a deep breath as her mother pushed the ring onto her finger.
"Just so you don't lose it before you give it to him."
"I'll be careful. How long?"
"Soon." Belle smiled, "Audrey's parents will be outside by now waiting for her.. Evie darling how are you and the boys getting to the Cathedral?"
"Doug's my date." Evie smiled brightly, "He asked his parents and they said they'll take the boys and me with them... she glanced at the clock, "They should all be waiting down there for me already actually."
"Good, and I'll be leaving in the limo as soon as you're in the carriage Mal, so we should all start heading down."
"Braeden said he'd wait by the carriage for you." Evie added with a grin.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Mal took a deep breath, "Let's go and get me my crown."
And so the four of them made their way out of the dorm room, Belle, Evie and Audrey helping Mal down the stairs so that she didn't trip over the long dress, and once they were down in the entrance hall Evie and Audrey rushed off to get their rides to the Cathedral, and Belle took her daughters hand and led her out into the courtyard, where dozens of photographers were waiting, snapping pictures of her as she emerged from the building, walking slowly and carefully towards the horse and carriage-Lumiere was sat at the front, clearly in charge of driving the horses, and Ben-Ben was stood next to the carriage next to the steps, a footman next to him, and he was the most handsome boy Mal had ever seen. His hair was no longer green, but what she could only assume was it's natural light brown color, and he was wearing a tailored blue tuxedo with yellow edging, and when their eyes met his widened in shock and his mouth dropped open as he straightened up, mouthing three simple words at her.
'You look beautiful.'