Collaboration with Xez2003

"The wedding, mannerly modest as a measure, full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance," Belle mused. "What do you think about that?"

Mal paused. "It sounds like it's mocking people who throw these big celebrations. As if it's saying 'you need to repent for all your foolishness'."

"How fitting a description," Belle laughed, curling her legs up closer to herself. "The play is called 'Much Ado About Nothing'."

Mal chuckled along with her and pulled another blanket out of the basket beside the couch when she noticed Belle shiver. Belle waved her off. "Oh, I'm plenty warm," she protested. "This is just a rather pleasant scene."

"Then at least put it behind your head," Mal said. "You'll strain your neck." She pulled Belle's curls aside and put the rolled-up blanket behind Belle's neck. Belle hummed her gratitude and rested a finger on her lip as she continued reading. Mal continued her wandering.

The library had been fixed up and cleaned and nothing remained of the scuffle that had happened almost two weeks ago. The passage had been sealed up with two brick walls and a door that only Ben, Adam, and the Captain of the Guard had access to. If anyone else wanted to sneak in, then it should be fairly easy to locate the culprit. The only other way in that route, Ben had reasoned, would be if someone had magic, but for some strange reason most of the magic-users in Auradon seemed to love the man who pardoned every bout of accidental magic and who had pushed through a few regulation changes that allowed them out at the same hours as everyone else and didn't require they report children's magical powers.

These last two weeks, Ben had been popping his head in every so often to speak to his mom and Mal. Mal appreciated the thought, but Ben always seemed to find a way to use these visits to ask her about whatever he'd been working on with the courts, and she was wondering if that might be bad in the long run. For one, she was fairly certain he had told her at least five things that weren't supposed to be disclosed to the general public. For two, she could tell the other members of the court were irritated with her input. Audrey and her father in particular dropped scathing remarks whenever Mal took Belle past them.

"Ah, there you two are."

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, Mal thought as Ben entered the library and somehow made himself the focal point of the room. He didn't look at her for a moment and went straight to his mother, where he dropped down and kissed her cheek. "Hello, mum," he whispered.

"Hello, Ben," Belle smiled. "Is it dinner time already?"

"Not quite. We're still an hour up. But I went by your room and you weren't there."

"Mal brought me down." Belle extended a hand towards Mal and Mal immediately moved forward to sit beside her while Ben moved around the couch to sit at Belle's feet. He caught sight of the book, did a double-take, then relaxed. "We played chess and I've been boring her with my ramblings."

"I was hardly bored," Mal laughed. "But confused would be a different matter."

"Chess?" Ben asked. "Are you any good? I'm rubbish."

"You're rubbish," Mal repeated. "At chess? It's a game of strategy. I thought that'd be right up your alley."

Ben shook his head. "I'm rubbish. I always try to protect all my pieces and leave my king open."

Mal and Belle shared a look. "What a horrible allegory," Belle sniffed. "Mal's rather good. I never see her strategies until it's far too late to stop her." She pulled her legs up and repositioned the book on her knees. "Here, Mal. So you walk softly, and look sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walk, and especially when I walk away."

"That one I can understand," Mal agreed. "An agreement to socialize. They're saying they're fine to stick around."

"Is it romantic?" Ben asked, leaning to try and read over the top of the book.

"Don Pedro asked her to dance," Belle explained. "You remember this play, don't you Ben? I took you to see it when you were ten."

"Ah. I remember very specifically trying to not let Audrey hold my hand."

Mal laughed. She couldn't imagine the struggle. As she laughed, someone new appeared in the doorway. Former King Adam, who was swirling a glass of wine as he walked. "Did I hear Ben?" he asked. Mal had a feeling he wasn't speaking to her. King Adam avoided her gaze and never spoke to her. She couldn't tell if he was still afraid of her or simply uncaring.

Ben glanced over his shoulder wearily. "That depends," he said. "Are we still talking about my-" he spread his hands. "Insane concept?"

"I was rather hoping to let you cool off and try again tomorrow." Adam rolled his eyes and took a gulp of his wine. "Since you were, ahem, so agreeable upstairs."

Ben rolled his eyes too and then reached over to set a hand on Mal's hand. "Here, Mal, perhaps you can settle this argument for us."

"Must you always turn everything to politics?" Belle sighed. "I feel like you're taking my helper away from me."

"Oh mum, can't you share her?" Ben's smile turned goofy at his mother's eye roll. They all had similar expressions, the three of them. "She's absolutely brilliant. I've said it before and I stand by it - if I had a court of Mals, we would be the most progressive country in history. Even better than Rome!"

"What do you want, Ben?" Mal asked. She was interested in hearing what today's issue had been, even if Belle and Adam were exchanging similarly exhausted expressions.

"What do you think of the factory situation in Cinderellasburg?" Ben asked. "Do you know anything of it?"

Mal's smile faded. "The textile factories?" she asked.

"Cinderellasburg is the largest producer of threads, fabrics, buttons, zippers, laces, anything fashionable. They also turn out the best clothes in the country, but that's not our subject. We're specifically talking about work conditions in those factories. I recently received the death report of a magical five-year-old who was crushed to death in the heavy machinery there. I've been looking into it more and, in my opinion, things are deplorable. There's so much sickness and danger and they have children from the ages of five up working… absolute rubbish. And-"

"We don't have the resources to make the change yet," Adam said over Ben's shoulder. "That's Cinderellasburg's main source of income. Remember the shirtwaist fire two years ago? That combined with the drought led to food shortages all winter long."

"So we build a railroad to Dunbroch," Ben said. "That way we can negotiate a supply trade in the winter months. Solved."

"That would still take two years and would still deplete Cinderellasburg's annual turnover. It just isn't-"

"I think you'll find there's more than enough money in those places," Mal interrupted. "I know for a fact that factory floor overseers are paid three times as much as the standard adult worker and children receive a tenth of what a man does. If you're ever given a chance to see the books, you'll see that there is plenty of money to give everyone forty - even fifty dollars a week, but then the owners wouldn't be able to have as much wallet padding."

"That's one of my suspicions," Ben agreed. "I've requested the books of two different places and they'll be arriving next week. I doubt it's as much of a problem of being able to pay versus wanting to pay."

"If you're a parent and you take your child out of school to work, you're paid a little extra. But it's a scam, see. Every woman is paid twenty, sometimes twenty-two per week." Mal cracked the joints in her thumbs as she spoke and closed her eyes. "Children get five to eight. So if you're a mother and you and your child are working, with the bonus, that's about thirty-three dollars. Versus employing two full-grown women at the cost of forty."

"Oh for goodness's sake, child," Adam scoffed. "You can't go making this up!"

Belle smacked his arm with pinched lips. "Adam," she snapped.

Mal bit her lower lip. "I actually worked in those factories, sir," she whispered. "Before I went to work for Belle. People are hurt every day."

"Well then she's a biased resource anyway," Adam decided, looking down at Ben. "Hardly fair to listen to her side of the story before listening to the owner's."

"I worked with an eleven-year old named Dizzy on the thread machines, whose grandmother had her in to get that tiny bonus," Mal said in the coolest tone she could conjure up. "And on the fifteenth hour of her fourteen hour shift, she slipped and her hair was pulled into the machine. The skin on her face went in with her scalp, sir."

King Adam did not appear to have heard her. He stared down at his glass of wine and then raised it to his lips to take a shaky gulp. Ben pursed his lips tighter and tighter together until he appeared to be able to stand it no longer. He turned around. "When I hear you complain about revenue in the face of something like that, I hear that you are okay with suffering so long as your ties come in the right color."

Adam turned to leave the room. "I can't talk to you when you're like this," he muttered.

"Don't be ridiculous, Dad. You just can't talk when you're wrong." Ben ran his hands through his hair and then focused on Mal. "I am… sorry. I can't imagine the stress or the environment or the-"

Mal held up a hand and took a few moments to compose herself. "You ought to do something." She agreed. "That would be good." Then, with a glance to Belle, she swallowed and stood up. "I think I might go to grab some water. Can I bring you something? A wine or a refresher?"

"Ah!" Ben snatched her hand again and guided her back down. "There's actually… can you not leave yet? I had something I wanted to discuss with you."

"Good heavens, Ben," Belle sighed. "Let the poor girl be."

"It's not about politics, it's just - I mean, it kind of is but not dreadfully so. Here's the deal." Ben relinquished her hand and put his fingertips together as he quickly gathered his thoughts. "There's this meeting that I have tomorrow. In Arendelle. There's this meeting in Arendelle and we're supposed to have two representatives. But Dad said he planned a day out with Mom together and they were going to spend the day together."

Belle nodded as she focused on her book. Mal resisted the urge to mirror her - she'd known about this, yes. She'd been told she would be dismissed for the day, but apparently Ben had other plans.

He looked incredibly nervous.

Ben swallowed and began from the top again. "So there's this meeting in Arendelle and we're supposed to have two people but I hate everyone in the courts except for Doug, who might want me dead, Chad, who is not in any state to go anywhere, and my Dad, who is busy. Plus they all hate me, except for Audrey. And I really don't want to go with Audrey. So I was wondering if I could convince you to come."

"I'm not part of the courts."

"We just need two representatives from Auradon."

"I don't live in Auradon. I'm just visiting."

"I think it counts." Ben put his hands under his chin. "Please don't make me ask Audrey."

He looked so miserable at the idea that Mal couldn't stop a laugh as the previously heavy mood dissipated. "I'm not sure I'm all too qualified," she warned Ben. "What's the meeting about?"

"I haven't been informed of all the agenda but presume it'll mostly be about Arendelle's infrastructure and trade." Ben shrugged and rolled his shoulders to work out some stiffness. "So far you've been plenty qualified. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think you'd be able to hold your own."

"That's kind of you, Ben." Mal glanced towards Belle. "How likely is it that you'll end up needing me?"

"Well, if I drop dead tomorrow then you may have to leave early to put me in my grave," Belle said. It was clear she wasn't being serious though. She peered over her book. "It'll be good for you, Mal. Adam can take care of me for a day and I can put up with Audrey if needs be - I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Mal chewed on her cheek. She didn't fancy being so far away from Belle.

"I'm sure," Belle agreed. "But please, don't talk my ear off about it all when you get back." She nudged Ben with her foot. "You too."

"I know, I know," Ben scooped her up like she was some sort of large pillow and hugged her to his chest. Belle hissed at her son and stuck her tongue out as her view of the page was jostled. Ben poked her under the arm in response. "I am your son and you came up to spend time with me, not Shakespeare!" He exclaimed. "You've already read that play!"

"I've already looked at you!" Belle tried to hold the book open behind Ben's head to placate him, but he knocked it out of her hands and behind the couch. Belle whined in agony. "No!" Ben held her fast and refused to let her go. Mal simply sat and watched Belle try to wrestle away while Ben held her fast in a tight hug. She considered walking around the couch to retrieve the book, but figured that would provide more of a distraction than an incentive to their squabbling. If only she could summon it.

It would be cool to know magic for a lot of things. The least of which, summoning a book to make Ben laugh and Belle grumble. The most of which, trying to prevent Belle's pain and give her as much time as possible.

"What does one even wear to a meeting on infrastructure?" Mal asked Belle as she shuffled through the clothes she'd brought from home. "I'm not really… prepared for this."

"We could always have Ben figure something out for you," Belle offered. She was sitting on a curved chair in front of the mirror, letting down her hair and sucking in a breath when she had to move her arms too high. Her shoulders were stiff. Mal abandoned her task to come over and begin fishing the long brown pins out of Belle's curls.

"Better?" she whispered. Belle nodded with a deep breath.

"Sorry, I'm just a little lightheaded all of the sudden," she said. She patted Mal's hand and turned around. "Well, if you want my opinion, you should stick with purple. The less brown, the better."

Mal laughed. "I'm not exactly upper class, Belle."

"Well, we could tell Ben now we need something by morning or -"

"I'd really rather not leave my wardrobe up to Ben," Mal said with her cheeks turning red. "Just… he's been rather forward about my dress in the past and I don't want to imagine what he'd dream up."

Belle's lips quirked upwards. "That rather says a lot, don't you think?" she said.

"It does." Mal's laugh was more breath than guffaw.

"I meant about you." Belle rolled her eyes. "Or you could always borrow something from me, if you like?"

"I'd prefer that," Mal agreed. "If you wouldn't mind?"

Belle slowly pushed herself up to stand and then beckoned Mal out towards the hallway. Mal took up a guard at Belle's side, just in case she stumbled and fell. They shut the door behind them.

Belle led Mal down the third staircase and up the first, which Mal hadn't previously had to go through. Mal braced herself to see Audrey, who was standing in the doorway of a room and chatting with someone inside. She looked agitated. As they passed, though, Audrey turned to curtsey to Belle before continuing to argue with the person inside. Mal glanced back at the last second to see Ben on his bed with a book open in his lap, clearly ignoring her. He looked cozy with his feet up on a blanket and the dark blue robe tied over his nightclothes. Mal looked away before he or Belle could catch her glancing.

Belle pushed open a room that was covered in dust and wrinkled her nose. A small cloud went up from the floor, but Mal could see the paths in the carpet that indicated someone had used the room recently. This must be where her ball gown had come from.

"This is the bedroom where I kept all my dresses," Belle hummed. "Adam kept his in our room, but I didn't get all dolled up as much as he did so I have a separate room for when I did need dresses." She opened up one of the three closets that lined the right wall and gestured for Mal to have a look. These were not as dusty, but Mal still handled them with care. There was blue, red, and yellow, but not too much purple. Mal flicked through a few things, trying to find something with minimal ruffles and appliques.

"I think this is all too grand for me."

Belle coughed, which made Mal turn her head sharply, and then leaned past Mal to slide a few more racks over and reveal a mostly white dress with purple ribbons around the waist on and the ends of the sleeves, making everything look poofy. Mal nodded as she chewed on her cheek.

"That's probably about as plain as it'll get, huh?"

"You'll probably be the plainest person there," Belle shrugged. "But we can give you some pearls-"

"Oh, Belle…"

"And you'll be perfectly fine. I ought to mention though that this dress," She presented it with a little flourish, "Will require a corset."

"I regret ever telling Ben I could do this thing."

"It's only a twenty inch so it won't be that far of a stretch for you."

"What if I faint around Ben?" Or worse, on him?

"I doubt you would be the first."

Belle didn't seem to be sharing the same anxiety Mal was. And she was the more experienced. Mal took a deep breath. "Should I try to coordinate with him? Wear blue or something?"

"We could put some flowers on a hat and I think that would be enough," Belle mused. "Or even just tell Ben to wear black or have something purple. You don't have to be the one to coordinate when Ben's the one who invited you."

"Excuse me," Someone exclaimed from the doorway. Mal and Belle looked up to see an open-mouthed Audrey bracing her hands on the doorframe. "Did you say Ben invited you somewhere?"

"Mal's been asked to participate in a meeting tomorrow," Belle said shortly. "Ben needed an extra representative for something."

"He could have asked me!" Audrey shouted. "I don't even want to go to the stupid meeting he's sending me to anyway! She's not even on the council!"

Belle flicked her fingers to send Audrey away. "Take it up with him. I don't care." She put the dress in Mal's hands and reached into the closet to find a corset to go with it. Then, as they got to the door, she shooed Audrey out of the way. Mal did her best to not show any expression as she passed under Audrey's seething glare.

"You know you don't deserve to be there!" Audrey shouted when they were halfway down the hall. "You don't even deserve to talk to him!"

"That's very becoming, Audrey," Belle said. Mal kept her gaze on the carpet as the two walked away as fast as Belle's lungs would let her. All the other doors in the corridor were closed - even Ben's.

"I hate your guts and hope you end up just like the last leech did! Tangled in a tree with your face all blue!"

Belle turned around with fire in her eyes about the same time that the door to Ben's room snapped open. He slammed it behind him and pointed down the hall to Audrey. "Audrey, get out of my castle!" He shouted.

All of Audrey's fight died out of her. She shrank down, looking small. "Sorry, Ben," she whispered.

Behind Audrey and the room Belle and Mal had vacated, Adam appeared from behind another door. "Guys, it's late," he said. "Let's settle this in the morning."

"I want her out of the castle by daybreak," Ben declared. "Non-negotiable. I'm through putting up with her attitude."

"You can't just throw a young lady out and especially not at night," Adam tried to reason.

"I will literally call up an army to escort her home if she thinks she won't be safe enough. But she's to be gone by daybreak, otherwise I will never let her return here again."

"She's the council secretary. She's allowed to be here in the palace, Ben."

"No. She's a representative of Auroria and the council secretary position is now open until I find someone polite." Ben pointed down the hall to the door next to his. "Audrey, start packing your stuff or I swear I will have everything bagged up and thrown in the Cocytus River, which I recall you said it would be a waste of money to filter and clean."

Adam started walking down the hall. His face was turning red too, but he was trying to keep his composure. "Benjamin, you are going too far. She is a lady and irregardless of your history, she deserves to be treated with-"

"I will do it myself if I have to!" Ben exploded. "I am not being unreasonable nor have I ever been with my insistence that she behave herself. Mocking a recent travesty and wishing it on someone else is beyond bad manners. I am not going to put up with her. She's to leave. Immediately." He crossed his arms and seethed.

Adam flicked his eyes up towards Belle. "Belle, tell him that he can't-"

"I will do no such thing," Belle snapped before he could finish. She put an arm around Mal's shoulders. "In fact, he said it all better than I ever could. Audrey started out as a bright girl and I hoped she would become a good match for Ben but she has been nothing but a snag and mark for the last twelve years. I have witnessed her rudeness several times and even thrown her out of my own home. You give her second chances she hasn't earned and it is this sort of mannerism that has allowed her to sprout into a weed of a character. Ben is right to demand her leave. Immediately."

Adam ran his hands through his hair and seethed. He glanced surreptitiously at Mal - the first time he'd ever done so - and growled a little. "Well, Audrey will require help to move her things… I think it only fair your maidservant assist if she is the reason-"

"She is the one wronged and she will do no such thing!" Belle exclaimed. "Audrey can do something for herself for once. She can leave - the palace and us alone. It's a great way for her to finally pick up some of the responsibility she claims to have."

Adam's hands shook. But between Belle's fury and Ben's unwavering stance, he knew he wouldn't be able to win. He turned down the hall to Audrey with pain and anger clashing in every movement. "Audrey, it may be best if you leave for a while."

"For good," Ben corrected. "You will return to your home in Auroria and only visit when you have official business with us. That does not include dropping in to make sure I'm doing my job."

Audrey was crying. Hiccuping and sobbing. She glared at Mal as she slowly wandered back down the hall. Ben leaned away from her as if repulsed when she passed him by. She opened the door to her room and Mal saw a lot of pink before she slipped in.

"I have never been more embarrassed," Adam snapped at Ben. "Either by your treatment of the people around you or your fantasies."

Ben was neither fazed nor impressed. "It must sting to come off your pedestal and be treated the same way you treat everyone else," he sniffed. "Hopefully now you can feel the embarrassment I felt during most of your reign."

Adam's face turned purple. Mal wondered if he might have a blood condition - she'd never seen anyone get that color that quickly. He raised a hand, but apparently had no words. With a snarl, he turned and stormed back down the hall to his room.

Ben turned back to his mother and Mal. It was the first time he had faced or addressed them so far. He took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm sorry about the scene," he hissed through his teeth. "Thank you for your assistance."

"I didn't help," Mal thought as Belle nodded.

Ben gave a slight bow. "I'll be by in the morning to collect you, if that's still acceptable, Miss. Mal?"

Mal nodded without meeting his eyes. Belle cleared her throat. "Ben?" she asked.

"Yes?" Ben straightened up, looking anxious.

Belle held up the dress. "Coordinate," she demanded with a smile.

Ben smiled and nodded. "I plan to," he agreed.

Belle took Mal's arm for balance as they headed back to her room. Ben turned and returned to his bedroom. Once his door was closed, Belle turned and coughed into her arm. It was a violent, jarring cough that made Mal jump. The dust, she remembered too late as she took the dress from Belle. Belle covered her mouth more as they walked, coughing around every breath, and Mal prayed their excursion wouldn't have hurt the good Evie had been able to do two weeks ago.

Mal braced her hands on the wall and tried to steady herself. Belle rested a cold hand on Mal's neck. "Breathe," she whispered. "I'm sorry, but it's almost over."

"Whoever invented these should be shot," Mal hissed and squeezed her eyes tight.

Belle wrapped the cords around her fingers and leaned in to whisper: "One, two… three." Mal inhaled and Belle pulled. The corset tightened around her hips but slid to the place they needed it to. Belle quickly secured the laces while Mal fought the fogginess that had descended on her head.

Belle held up the dress, which had been cleaned, while Mal finished fighting for her breath. When she felt like she'd mostly caught it, she took her hands off the wall and took the dress.

"Remind me again why I thought this was a good idea?" Mal asked as she slipped the dress over her head.

"Because you're smart and Ben makes you feel appreciated for saying things you think are common sense," Belle deduced with a smile.

Mal groaned and pulled her hair out of the way. The dress was luckily very light and soft inside. "Can you button me up?" she asked Belle. Belle nodded and moved forward.

Her hair had been curled before they put the dress on and a white hat with little purple flowers was waiting for her on the vanity. Belle finished buttoning her up and then passed it over. Mal picked up a large pearl hatpin to secure it to her head.

A knock came from the door as Mal finished working the pin into her hair, trying to avoid her skull. Belle went over and opened it. Mal panicked briefly - was Ben here already? But it was Adam and Adam smiled to see Belle. Mal could see dark bags around his eyes - it looked like he might have been the one to help Audrey pack herself up. Ben had extended the deadline to lunchtime when he'd woken up and Audrey was crying, trying to save her most valuable things. Still, his heart hadn't softened. He wanted Audrey gone.

Mal kept out of Adam's sight while he and Belle greeted each other and exchanged a kiss. Belle did glance back briefly before she left with a book tucked under her arm and mouthed "good luck". Mal nodded. Now all she had to do was sit and wait for Ben.

"Oh, dad, let me take the door from you," she heard.

Well, that had been excruciating.

She ignored the sweat gathering in her palms and moved forward then. Belle and Adam began moving down the hall and Ben's eyes followed them with a smile on his face before he turned to see her and the smile dropped.

She fidgeted, waiting for his response. When he said nothing, she swallowed. "Is this… acceptable?" she asked.

"Absolutely," he agreed. "You look - sorry - really good. Really nice. You're just… yeah, really nice."

She couldn't stop her laugh at his nervousness. "You too." She tilted her head. "And you have purple." A purple kerchief was poking out of his pocket and a purple tie was wound around his neck. His suit was black instead of blue. "It's odd to see you without blue."

"Oh, what a heavy price to pay to look like we're a matched set." Ben rolled his eyes and offered her his arm. Mal wrinkled her nose, remembering what had happened the last time, but then reasoned that if she was attending this meeting then she'd probably get dirty looks anyway and at the least, he'd be able to support her if this stupid corset got the best of her.

Ben shut the door behind them and together they went outside, down the steps, and out towards the front gates. One tan stagecoach waited for them while five large carriages bearing the Auroria symbol were lined up in the drive. The insides were filled with furniture and loose items. Mal resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose in embarrassment for Audrey.

The girl in question sat at the base of the stairs with red, puffy cheeks, sniffling as she waited for the servants to finish bringing the last of her things. Ben paid her no mind as he led Mal to the stagecoach and helped her up. He followed her up.

On the front bench of the stagecoach was the driver, a balding man with freckles across his scalp, and a soldier in uniform with a rifle swung over his shoulder. He was probably there to protect Ben, Mal assumed.

They took off, leaving behind the five carriages and their still-seething owner. How far was Arendelle? It was another city - Mal wondered why take the open-topped stagecoach instead of a covered carriage. But she didn't question it as they left the palace gates and began to head out towards the Auradon City borders.

As they passed by the gate, Ben finally cleared his throat. Mal glanced over, assuming he was now in a mood to talk. He crossed his legs as he turned towards her. "So," he began, "how has Auradon been treating you so far?"

Mal pretended to mull it over. "Well, I've been attacked twice, arrested, laughed at by an entire ballroom, found a dead body, and the King of Auradon shot at me."

"I did not shoot at you. I shot at the person who had you tied up." Ben rolled his eyes but laughed nonetheless. "I'm sorry it's been a bit of a sorry first few weeks. Hopefully the crazy will die down and things will settle."

"Assuming no one else tries to kill you," Mal laughed. She squinted down at the guard below them. "Shouldn't you be traveling more protected?"

Ben shrugged. "I'm betting on the idea that you can hide in plain sight if people don't expect to see you."

"In an open-top carriage and when you're traveling on business," Mal drawled. "You do realize this is how wars start, right?"

"Politics," Ben rolled his eyes. "I really have polluted you, haven't I?"

Mal was drawn away from the conversation when the wheel on the cart thumped over a rock. She realized that they'd entered the north forest now and were going down a path that looked kept, but increasingly rural. No cities or kingdoms or anything. "Are we lost?" she asked.

"No, no," Ben assured her. He ran a hand through his hair and Mal realized he seemed quite sweaty and pale. "In fact, it's just around the bend up here. You'll see."

Mal could see that there definitely wasn't a kingdom up there. And they were only thirty minutes from the capital - there was no way they could have arrived that quickly. Still, the stagecoach turned the bend and the road ended at a grassy area with a beaten-down walking path beginning between two logs.

Ben hopped down as the driver and the soldier vacated the wagon and offered his hand up to Mal. Mal hesitated - this was a very alone spot with someone she did not know very well who didn't seem half as concerned about the fact this was not a place a meeting would happen as she was.

Ben continued holding out his hand though, so she took it and hopped down. And she saw in the way he was avoiding her eyes what was going on. "You haven't been telling the truth, have you?" she asked.

Ben ducked his head with a grimace. Mal exhaled. "There's no meeting, right?"

"No, there is," Ben said. "It's just… Audrey and Michael were sent to it. I said early on I didn't want to go."

"So, we're here in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do and why?"

"I wanted to show you something." Ben tried to take her hand and pull her towards the path, but Mal held up a hand to stop him.

"That's not how this works," she said. "I need to know what we're doing here, Ben. Please."

Ben exhaled and ran that same hand through his hair again. A nervous quirk? "I, uh…" he cleared his throat. "Listen, Mal, I was hoping to have… an outing with you."

"An outing."

"Nothing big… I just was nervous to ask." He took a deep breath. "It was never quite my… scene to chat or talk with anyone. I was interested in, well, politics from a young age. And so I was unsure… on how to broach the subject that I think you are very smart and kind and… I know you are my mother's helper but I'm interested in speaking with you as friends instead of acquaintances."

"Friends?" Mal repeated. "You'll have to forgive me for being forward but friends meet up in the library of the castle and play chess. They don't get dolled up in suits and match outfits to take outings."

Ben exhaled. "Then… I hope you'll forgive me again. You certainly know how to be a lot more forward to those you respect than I am. I can only get my point across in meetings. Not… here."

"With all due respect, your majesty, you're avoiding the topic."

Ben couldn't meet her eyes. A blush was creeping down his neck. He swallowed. "I… was hoping you would honor me with your company today. And maybe again in the future. That's all."

"That's anything but all." Mal pursed her lips and examined him. "You mean to… court me? Is that what this is?" She felt like someone was drawing the curtains back in her mind. "Is that why you keep picking my head and inviting me to do things? You certainly jumped when you thought I'd come to inquire about your relationships."

All Ben could do was swallow for a moment. "I pick your head because you're fascinating. You know things I don't know and you say them better than I can. I invite you to do things because I want to honor you and because I want you to feel special. And I was hoping that today I might be able to walk with you because I've honestly never met another person like you and I'm interested in seeing… how agreeable you might be as a person with me."

Mal had half of a mind to climb back up into the stagecoach. Ben twisted his hands and tried to take deep, calming breaths in front of her. She hadn't realized she affected him so much. In light of his nervousness, she decided to let her bruised ego slip aside. "We have no chaperone," she said.

Ben gestured behind him, towards the guard and the driver, who had taken up a seat on a log and was now smoking a pipe. "The guard is supposed to stay with me at all times," he whispered. "I know that a chaperone is typically a mother or aunt, but my mother was unavailable and I gathered from our conversation two weeks ago that you are not in contact with your mother."

Mal felt her mood slip further. "You could say that," she agreed. She glanced down the path behind Ben and then walked around him to begin down it. Ben jumped to follow and when they were about ten paces down the dirt path, the guard began to follow. Mal wondered what the guard's feelings were, exactly. To be following the king around as he spoke with a young woman.

"If we were to do this again, properly," Ben began, "And I asked your permission formally instead of…"

"Tricking me?"

"Tricking you, would you prefer me to ask my mother along with us?"

"I do believe, your majesty, that the chaperone is usually provided by the woman's family as a means to keep her safe."

"I think you keep yourself plenty safe. I just would want you to feel comfortable."

"Asking proper permission would be a great start."

Ben exhaled. Mal couldn't fight a small smile. He was still flustered, so his wit was off. Pity. He was fun to banter with.

Ben was doing this weird thing where he was walking sideways as they continued down the path, occasionally ducking under tree branches as they walked. "Tell me," he said. "Do you have any family around?"

"I have Belle." They reached a small stone bridge which Ben hopped over before extending an arm to help Mal. She wandered over herself before gathering her thoughts. "I lost my mother and father when I was young. Trouble on the Isle of the Lost."

"An accident?"

Now it was her turn to refuse to meet his gaze. "Political issue," she said. "Either way, they're gone now."

"Would you like help in relocating them one day?" Ben asked. "My father kept surreptitious records… I bet I would be able to find them."

"Well, one went missing from the Isle and the other Auradon executed, so I doubt that you'd be able to find them." Mal began to pant as the corset pinched at her ribs. "But I appreciate the offer."

They were nearing a bend in the path. Ben suddenly jumped around in front of her. "Wait," he said. "You should close your eyes for this part."

"Close my eyes?" Mal repeated. "You're not exactly in a position to be making demands after luring me out here."

"I'm the insane King of Auradon," Ben replied with a goofy grin. "Making demands outside of my sphere of control is a specialty."

Mal laughed and relented. Ben took her hands, holding onto her fingers, and pulled her forward. They shuffled underneath the patterns of the branches and Mal felt a cool mist on her face. "Okay," Ben whispered. "You can open them now." He moved behind her for good measure.

Mal opened her eyes and decided Ben had both impeccable taste in places for outings and a good indicator of what view would surprise her the most. A large, perfectly round lake with glowing stones in the bottom of it and some ruins that extended into the woods to her left. The water was perfectly clear but shimmered with specks of gold inside of it. Almost as if it were enchanted.

Trust Ben to bring someone magical to a magical place, though.

Ben cleared his throat after a few moments and nodded to the ruins. "There are places to sit, if you like," he offered. "I can't imagine that dress can be very comfortable in that shape."

Mal surprised them both by sticking out her tongue at him. "If I'd known you were going to haul me out here, I would have worn my normal dresses with my normal waist size."

Ben laughed, but still looked apologetic. He extended his arm and Mal wrapped her arm through it without much thought.

"So, you've never courted anyone before?" Mal asked as they wandered under the trees to a withering bench set on the water's edge. "I can tell, actually."

"It's never been a goal of mine." Ben shook his head. "Happens when you have people like Audrey chasing you. Have you been courted a lot then?"

"Me?" Mal pointed to her hair. "You think anyone normal would approach me with this? No. I've never been courted. But I can tell you've never done this because you're acting like a stick man."

"I am?" Ben looked surprised.

"Why do you keep walking sideways and twisting like that?" Mal pointed at his side. He was twisting at the waist to face her. Ben turned red again.

"You're supposed to keep facing the lady," he explained and relaxed his frame. That was a lot better, in Mal's opinion. "Audrey once chastised me for it."

"Audrey once chastised me for letting Belle walk down on the beach," Mal remembered. "She gets after everyone. Gets in the way."

Ben sat and drummed his fingers on his knees until he could think of what he wanted to say. "I… do regret not courting anyone on some level," he admitted. "For one, it's painfully clear I'm clueless now. And two… I've realized lately that I might have let my mother down. She's been asking for years if there was anyone and I always put it off and now, here we are, she doesn't have much time left and I'm just me."

"Just you?" Mal echoed.

A sad smile crossed Ben's lips. "I wish she had some grandchildren. Just because I know she would love to see them before she-" He took a breath. Tears filled his eyes. Mal immediately turned and put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. He closed his eyes and steadied himself before beginning to mutter apologies under his breath. Mal barely heard him. She was lost in thought.

"I wish…" she began and cut herself off. But Ben fell silent, listening for her, and so Mal swallowed and continued. "I wish I knew how to use my magic. I can't do anything with it and I've always wished I could just… fix her. Help her get better. But I can't."

Ben stayed still and silent for several seconds before reaching over and patting her knee. "She knows us both too well. She doesn't hold it against us."

"No, but that doesn't make it easier," Mal whispered back.

A leaf fell off the tree above her head and fluttered past her nose. It drew her attention away until she realized a pair of green eyes had focused on her.

"Would you be interested in maybe doing this… more than once?" Ben asked.

Mal blinked. Her eyelashes ticked her cheeks. Would she want to do this? Court the King of Auradon while she was caring for his sick mother? While he was pushing through magical propaganda and while he was under the threat of an assassination? She wasn't sure.

Mal patted his hand on her leg. "You'll need to give me more time for that one," she whispered. "It isn't quick wit. And it's not just about us."

"It kind of is."

Mal shook her head and the two drifted off into silence, watching the leaves fall on the lake.

"How was the meeting?" Belle asked after Mal shut the door and took her hat out of her hair. Ben had dropped her off outside, so Belle didn't raise her voice as Mal leaned against the door and took a few deep breaths. She began to struggle with the buttons on the back of her dress and so Belle got up without a word to come help her.

"Um," Mal began, biting her lip. "There… wasn't a meeting." The dress's shoulders began to relax enough for Belle to reach the laces of the corset. Mal gasped in relief when the stupid thing gave way and let her torso relax.

"I don't understand," Belle said as she moved away to let Mal slide into the bathroom to change back into a normal dress. "He said he was going to Arendelle and bringing you along."

"He lied," Mal said, her voice muffled by the door and the bathroom echo. "We went out to a lake for a walk. He lied about the meeting because he thought I wouldn't want to go with him." She opened the door, still pulling her hair out from under her new dress, and leaned against the frame.

Belle looked like she was at a loss for words. Mal felt the same way. She swallowed as she waited for Belle's verdict. Finally, Belle licked her lips and asked: "What happened?"

"We talked." Mal shrugged. "He was really… stiff the whole time. He said he'd never asked anyone on an outing before and didn't quite know what to do."

Belle shook her head and pressed her fingertips to her forehead. "Well, I worried he was going to steal you from me, but I wasn't really expecting that."

"Me neither," Mal said and took a seat beside Belle on the foot of her bed. "What do you think of it?"

Belle began to laugh and had to cover her eyes with a hand to delay tears leaking out of her eyes. "I think I might have raised an idiot," she said. "A very smart idiot."

Mal couldn't stop her own laughter at the description either. She shook her head and pushed Ben out of her head. "So, how was your day with Adam?" she asked.

Belle smiled. "We went and fed ducks and he took me to the city library and we sat in the library and he complained about Ben for three hours."

"Three hours?"

"Well, he's been bottling up a lot of stuff since I left. It was more of a rant, truly."

Mal covered her mouth and laughed. She could only imagine how frustrated conservative Adam must get with his much-more liberal son. Belle rolled her eyes with a fond smile and reached over to squeeze Mal's hand. "I was going to ask if you could take me down to the sitting room, actually. I wanted to meet you up here to help you out of that dress, but Adam said he was going to go down and play the piano. Can you help me down?"

"Of course!" Mal agreed. She stood up and offered Belle her hands. Belle took them and Mal helped her to her feet and then to the door. At the last second, she paused and glanced towards the bathroom. "I ought to grab that dress and hang it up…"

"Later," Belle decided for her and pulled her out. "I need to show you the piano first."

Mal supported Belle all the way down to the sitting room, where lay the piano. As they neared, Mal could hear the crisp notes floating out the door. Belle had played this tune a lot at home. Mal closed her eyes and imagined she could still smell the ocean for a second before opening the door wider and helping Belle inside. A brown-haired man was standing just inside the door, only a few paces from Adam. That threw Mal off. Who was playing the piano? But then she leaned over and saw Ben sitting down in front of the keys in a white shirt and the polished ballad suddenly made a lot more sense.

Ben stopped when he spotted Mal helping Belle take a seat. "Oh, hey," he said. "Nice to see you both."

"Nice to see you," Belle kissed Adam on the cheek and then wandered to stand beside Ben with Mal carefully scrutinizing every step she took. Belle wrinkled her nose at Ben while she took his shoulders and leaned down to kiss his cheek too. "So, how was your meeting, Ben?"

Adam furrowed his brow while Mal felt her cheeks turn a bit red. Ben blushed too. "It was good. Uhm… very good. Yes."

"I'm sure," Belle agreed as she released him and sat beside him on the bench.

Belle's fingers took up a light tune while Adam pulled a leg up on his knee across the room. "You had a meeting?" he asked.

"No," Belle said. "He just wanted to steal Mal away from me while I was gone."

"Ah," the brown-haired man at the door said. "Is this Mal?" He nodded to Mal and Mal resisted the urge to hide her face.

Ben looked put-out as he twiddled his thumbs at the piano bench. "Yes. Mal, this is Doug. Doug, this is Mal."

"Doug?" Mal asked. "Is this the same Doug who…" She trailed off.

"Yes. This is the same Doug," Ben agreed. "The man we caught in the library let it slip he wasn't involved. We haven't been able to get much else out of him, but we've released Doug."

Mal inclined her head. "Pleased to meet you," she said.

"You as well," Doug replied. "Thank you for keeping the king safe, even if it was at my temporary expense."

A nervous laugh escaped Mal's chest. She glanced away and her eyes happened to fall on Adam, who was staring at the floor and looking positively green. For a moment, she almost asked him what was wrong, but then thought better of it. Adam still didn't like her.

Mal walked across the room and stopped beside her. Without really thinking about it, she turned the page for Belle.

"Do you play?" Ben asked as he took up the lower bars of Belle's song. Both Mal and Belle shook their heads at the same time. Ben waved Mal over though and sat up to offer her the bench.

"I really don't play," Mal said as she took a seat. "I barely know where to put my fingers."

"Playing is easy if you have the right teacher," Ben smiled and put his hands on the keys with his arms stretching around her. "You can follow mine, if you like," he whispered.

Mal furrowed her brow and put her hands on the keys in between his. After a moment of fumbling, Ben moved her hand to rest atop his instead and then began to play slowly. Mal let her hands relax atop of his while he played and couldn't stop a little smile as her heart quickened. His hands were warm.

It was nice to sit there with his arms around her. Mal could feel his smile somewhere up by her right ear while her fingers moved up and down on top of his.

Belle stopped playing and stood back up, offering the bench back to Ben. She hovered by the bench and teased Mal by raising her eyebrows at her. Mal rolled her eyes and took her hands back, wringing them in her lap, and Ben took that as a signal to sit back down beside her and finish the tune out solo. Belle went back to sit beside Adam, who was looking increasingly livid.

"Do you know any songs?" Ben asked. His tone was light, conversational.

"I told you I don't play," Mal said.

"I meant in general," Ben said. "I can play by memory, so if you know a song, I might be able to mimic it."

"Talented," Mal murmured. Ben just shrugged. Behind them, Adam got up, seething. He marched towards the door and wrenched it open before shutting it with a thud. Mal kept her eyes trained on the keys as Ben, Doug, and Belle all exchanged looks. Finally, Belle stood up and opened the door to follow Adam out and Doug took a seat with a breath.

After a while, the silence became uncomfortable and Ben began to play a few random notes. "Any songs?" he asked.

Mal exhaled. "Belle used to play this song in the evenings… Do you know Whole of the Moon?"

"I love Whole of the Moon." Ben slammed his fingers down on a major chord that made Mal smile. He laughed too and then began the song in a few low, soulful notes. "By the way, you look a lot less strained in this dress."

"Large price to pay to not be part of a matched set," Mal said.

Ben's smile was so bright she could feel it beside her even as she focused on only his hands, momentarily forgetting Adam's anger. She nodded along to the music before she started singing along. "You were there in the last miles with the wind at your heels. You stretched for the stars and you know how it feels…"

Ben joined in, softly. "To reach too high, too far, too soon. You saw the whole of the moon."

The moment intensified and Mal suddenly felt breathless. This was too much, too fast. She set a hand on Ben's arm and he stopped to look at her as she tried to sort through her myriad of thoughts. "I…" she began and then found a good place to begin. "Your dad hates me, Ben."

Ben rolled his eyes and continued playing. "He's an awnry old fart. Just ignore him. He'll warm up to you."

"That's what Belle said weeks ago and nothing's changed. I don't belong here in the palace and I'd rather not start any fights," Mal said. And this was the line that made Ben stop playing and face her. She swallowed. "I think it would be best if I stayed out of politics… out of everyone's hair… I should just be focusing on your mom right now. That's the reason I'm here."

"I understand," Ben agreed with a warm smile and without any hesitation in his tone. That somehow made Mal feel even worse. "Absolutely. Don't worry about it."

"Ben, I'm sorry."

"Hey, I understand responsibility better than almost anyone," Ben laughed. He turned his arm, taking her wrist, and squeezed. "You don't need to worry about me. The last thing I want to do is make you unhappy or uncomfortable or cause you any problems,"

"Well, you weren't," Mal thought. "But you kind of are now, though."

But with no verbal response, Ben turned back towards the piano and picked back up where he'd left off, singing under his breath. "Every precious dream and vision underneath the stars… yes you climbed on the ladder…"

Mal couldn't stand sitting and listening, so she stood up, resisting the urge to touch his shoulder as she did, and left towards the hall. She pushed the door open a few inches, found it empty, and stepped out. And tried not to get goosebumps when the last few lyrics that floated out were: "You came like a comet, blazing your trail…"

Collaboration with Xez2003