Chapter Thirty Six
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths.
Well we finally did it. We made it to Cotillion! But the fun has only just begun in terms of the dance.
In case anyone wants any visuals for the dresses, Uma's dress is the one she wore in canon in D2, Mal's dress is the dress she wore when Ben proposed in D3, and even though I didn't mention it, Evie's dress is the canon dress in D2.
As always, special thanks to AmethystDragon14 for their help with this chapter! :D
Tracie Adams: Yep! I'd say about two more chapters before the stuff hits the fan!
Katie2001: She really is isn't she? It really is amazing how fast the time seemed to fly by! I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story and to answer your question, there will be a sequel!
Marcus Emrys: I can promise they won't end up like Romeo and Juliet!
jedblack1997: You'll just have to wait and see ;D
AmethystDragon14: Oh yay! I know right? Claudine and Henry may be my second favorite couple to write…after Bal of course! And yeah, she's right to be worried!
Urmimala Hazra: Oh I'm so glad you liked the chapter!
61394: Maybe, maybe not…we'll just have to wait and see…
Guest: Thank you so much!
OceanBlueSeaEyes: Oh thank you, and yeah Freddy definitely did not send for any of his gang. Not because he didn't want to risk being caught but because he's just that selfish.
Guest2: Something tells me that I can make that happen for them…just not until the next story!
danifan3000: Honestly, that is a great idea. Brain, why *didn't* the Gaston girls form their own gang?
Sorceress of Magic: You and me both!
AliceCullen3: Oh I'm so glad!
miranda88: Oh I'm so happy to hear that! :D
twilightgirl587: They really are—they're some of my favorites to write!
Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Mal sighed as she looked at the calendar. The day had finally arrived—Cotillion. After tonight, the buckets of stress she had been dealing with would be over and she could finally relax. It was a massive check on her to-do list.
That wasn't to say she wouldn't be dealing with any stress. She'd be a Lady of Ben's court, and would deal with all the responsibilities that came with it. But for tonight, at least, she'd be able to relax and simply enjoy time with her boyfriend.
That's if I don't trip over the dress or make a fool of myself in some other way, she thought as she made her way to her shared dorm. The dress was beautiful and, thanks to Uma, it would at least look decent in that it was one color. But...it still wasn't her.
I'll suck it up though. This is Ben's night just as much as it's mine. Besides, it's a dress. Your coronation dress was much, much worse and you survived that. Besides, stop thinking you'll make a fool of yourself. Okay? That's Natalie talk and tonight's your night. You don't need her words clogging up your brain.
"Hey Mal," Uma said, pulling Mal out of her thoughts and Mal couldn't help but smile as she saw her cousin in her own Cotillion dress. Sure it might have been a bit early to be getting ready but Uma would take the longest. Just because of all the arguing she'd do to try to avoid anything remotely 'prissy'.
"Hey cuz," she said, closing the door behind her. "Evie, that dress is stunning. Everyone's eyes are going to be on Uma tonight for sure."
"Yeah right Mal. Tonight's your night. All eyes are going to be on you," Uma scoffed but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips.
Evie beamed as she helped Uma get into the teal boots she designed to go with the dress. No Auradon heels for this pirate captain. "Thanks Mal. In all honesty, I'm really happy with the way it came out. I just wish I could see how the guys like their suits—Doug's dropping them off for them before he gets changed into his."
She'd even managed to make a small suit for Hadie, as Evie figured that Mal would want her brother at Cotillion as well. It was a simple design, just a black suit and tie but the jacket had a wave of blue near the helm, almost making it look like flames were creeping up the jacket.
Perfect for the son of the Lord of the Underworld.
Mal and Uma shared a small smile as Mal walked over to her bed, hoping to find the garment bag that held her dress for Cotillion. Evie and Doug had spent the morning scurrying over campus, delivering dresses for their classmates and a cape for Chad. In all honesty, Mal couldn't help but think that Evie would be more happy with the end of Cotillion than Mal.
"Um...Evie? Where's the garment bag?" Mal asked as she stopped by her bed. The only thing that was on there was Estelle, who wagged his tail as Mal walked up. His purple bowties looked so good against his dark fur. Smiling slightly, Mal gave her dog a gentle scratch behind the ears as she turned to look at the two blue haired girls. "Did something happen to the dress?"
"You could say that Mali," Uma said with a smirk. "Go get it Princess. I'm not going to run off. I actually want to see Mal in this."
"Okay, now I'm worried. You two are getting along and Uma's excited over a dress of all things," Mal said as Evie chuckled, ducking into their wardrobe to get a different garment bag. The one that had held the previous dress had been a navy blue but this bag, this one was a dark purple.
"We had a little change in the design," Evie said gently. "The other dress is still available if you find you don't like this one but...I have a feeling you will. This dress, well it just feels like it's more you in a way."
Mal raised an eyebrow as she rested the garment bag on the bed and opened it. She stared in shock as she looked at the dress. Sure it wasn't the most fanciest but that didn't matter. It wouldn't have been out of place on the Isle if she was being honest. And yeah there was no leather but leather didn't exactly breathe all that well.
"Evie..." Mal gasped as she held it up, smiling a little as she saw that the skirt of the dress almost looked like dragon scales. "Did...did you make the sleeves look like dragon wings?"
"I took inspiration from your green dress, you know the one where the sleeves look like butterfly wings," Evie said with a smile. "You seemed to really like that one, even after you went back to wearing your Isle clothes. Plus I remembered that all your stuff from the Isle almost looked like the sleeves were wings."
"Try it on Mal," Uma said and Mal had to note that her cousin did not seem all that shocked about the recent development.
"Did you know about this?"
Uma chuckled. "Of course I did. Evie asked me to keep it a secret from you, since we've entered a parley of sorts. Just until Cotillion ends that is. After that, I make no promises."
"That's fair," Evie nodded. "After Cotillion, if you want, I could talk to Ben about changing rooms? I think the coronation is finally out of everyone's mind that I'd be able to be with an AK girl—."
"Now, now don't be talking crazy Princess," Uma said and chuckled as Mal put her tricornered hat on her head. Evie had been true to her word and managed to find a way to make the thing teal for Uma. "There've been three people from the Isle in this room and three people from the Isle there will stay."
Evie gave her a small smile and even Mal had to grin at the fact that the feud between the two girls finally seemed to be over. Slightly ironic considering the fact that it'd been Mal who had started the feud with Evie once upon a time but that was neither here nor there.
"Now, are you going to get into that dress Mali or are we going to have to put it on you ourselves?" Uma asked and Mal chuckled.
"Fine, fine," she said, quickly shedding her clothes and pulling on the dress. She paused slightly as her hand brushed against something on the interior of the dress. Almost like a pocket within a pocket.
It...it almost feels like a pocket for a dagger, Mal thought, glancing at Evie. But I'm a Rat. I don't use daggers. The only dagger I have is the one in my drawer, from when Freddy hit me with his the first time Ben, Jay, and I went to the Isle.
It was almost a comfort, knowing Evie of all people hadn't forgotten the Isle and remembered that Mal would want a way to keep a weapon on her person. A sword would be too bulky and people would certainly notice it. A dagger could be more easily hidden. Besides, even if it wasn't needed, there was a small comfort in having it.
Walking over to her dresser, Mal pulled out the black handled dagger from her top drawer. It was nice, nicer than one would think a weapon from the Isle would be. It almost made her wonder where Freddy had gotten it—if she was so inclined to spend any amount of time actually thinking about Freddy with anything more than hatred in her heart.
"Mal?" Uma called, looking over at her cousin.
"Evie put a sheath in here for a dagger," Mal stated as she put the dagger in said sheath, smirking a little as she saw the dagger almost completely disappear from view. "There may not be a need for it. But I know that Freddy would hate the fact that his dagger helped keep me safe in a way."
"The less we think about Freddy boy tonight, the better my blood pressure's going to be in the morning," Uma stated, glaring slightly at the thought of the older boy. "I still can't believe the Rats haven't seen hide nor hair of him ever since that stampede."
"He could be injured," Evie pointed out. "Mal, didn't your letter from your friend Ryan say Freddy had been seen by the docks that day? He may be an older VK but if he's not used to the mobs at the docks..."
"Oh that thought's so happy, it might actually make me fly," Uma grinned. "Anyone got any pixie dust to test it out?"
Mal chuckled and shook her head. "Evie, you were an oddity on the Isle. A gang less girl who didn't really have to deal with that fact since your mom was an ally with Maleficent. If you wanted food, you'd get it. Trust me though, if Freddy was at the docks, I doubt we'd be seeing much of him after that."
That wasn't to say she didn't believe Ryan. Mal sent a letter back to both him and Henry, ordering that the Rats do patrols in pairs in case Freddy was lingering in the shadows, waiting to attack. Especially since they had gathered the applications for the VKs to get off the Isle. The last thing they wanted was for one of their crew to get injured or worse.
If Freddy was out for the count, at least his second in command wouldn't be too bad for the Rats to deal with. Claudine was a decent sort, all Mal really remembered of her was that she spent most of her time in the bell tower of Dragon Hall. But Henry told her that she had sent a message to the ship, expressing her condolences to Ryan.
She had been the only Angel to do so.
"You know Uma, I think Harry's probably going to faint when he sees you in your dress," Evie said with a small smile, obviously trying to change the subject. It worked as Uma rolled her eyes.
"Harry doesn't faint," she said. "Besides why would he faint? Besides the shock at seeing me in a prissy dress like this?"
Mal smirked. "Ah Uma, why wouldn't a guy faint at seeing the girl he loves?"
"Honestly Mal, you and Jay have been saying Harry and I have feelings for each other since we were twelve. We're just friends, that's it. Besides, by that logic, Benny's going to faint when he sees you in your dress."
Mal smirked and shook her head as she pulled the dress on. While Uma's stance that the two of them were just friends might have worked with any other guy, Mal would never forget the look of pure betrayal that had flashed on her cousin's face when Uma found Mal and Harry curled up next to each other during their two week flirtationship.
Not that anything happened per se. Honestly it was just a way for Mal to see what the big deal was without risking anything really happening. Even if she had gone to one of the other guys in the crew, Harry was the only one she truly trusted.
He was like a younger brother to her, even if he was younger by a mere three weeks.
You know, maybe I should give Harry that picture I took when I walked in on Uma's dress fitting. Uncle Poseidon liked it but that's the joy of having a digital copy. I still have it even though I sent it off, Mal thought with an internal smirk.
"Anyway, Harry'll faint," she said as Evie walked over to zip up the dress before going to pull out the teardrop necklace for Mal to wear. Mal couldn't help but smile a little as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was truly a gorgeous dress, it was clear that Evie worked incredibly hard on it.
"Evie, how did you keep this a secret?" Mal asked. "You do most of your work in here and I know you've been busy with your dad and cheer practice, not to mention you've been talking about finding a place for you and your dad to live during the summer."
"Mainly asking Uma to keep you out of the room as much as possible," Evie chuckled as she put the necklace on Mal. "I also had a bit of help with some of the other girls tag teaming so I could get breaks or work on my own dress. The cheer team really got into the sewing aspect though I did have to promise a couple of them I'd teach them how to do a roundoff and a back handspring."
"Well you might want to put your dress on because I think the boys are waiting at the yacht," Uma told her as Mal slipped on her shoes and her fingerless leather gloves. Oddly enough, they weren't her regular ones but they were the ones that the finger divide had worn through so there was one singular hole instead of five smaller ones.
Evie grinned and scurried off to the bathroom, grabbing a garment bag that was hanging from the bed post on her bed. Meanwhile, on the other side of the school, Chad was busy getting dressed into his suit, tie and cape.
Sure, some might think the cape with the fake fur would be overkill. But Chad wanted to stand out. Besides, he spent good money on this cape—he was going to enjoy it!
He truly was looking forward to Cotillion. While he might not have been thrilled that he was going stag, he was ready to have a good night with his friends. Besides, some of the girls were single—and with no dates, they'd be willing to dance with him!
The ringing of his cell phone broke through his thoughts and he frowned as he picked up his phone. Who in the world would be calling him? All of his friends texted and his parents would be at Cotillion with his sisters. There'd be no need for them to call.
"Hello?"
"Chad?"
"Audrey?" Chad asked, taken aback a little. Audrey hadn't called him since their break up. "Is something wrong?"
"I'll say something's wrong! I was on the way back from the spa and my limo's gotten a flat tire!"
"What? Is the tire punctured? Can you see a hole?" Chad asked, shrugging off the cape and draping it on the bed. While he might have been raised to be a Prince, his mom had made it a point to make sure her children would be able to survive out in the world should they need to. Learning how to change a tire was something she insisted on Chad learn to do when he was getting ready to get his license.
If he needed to rush off and help, the cape would just be a hindrance than a help.
"Yes Chad! Of course I can see a hole! What else does a flat tire mean?!" Audrey snapped. "Ugh! There's a big glass shard in my tire! One of the idiots you play with on the Tourney team must have thrown a bottle out the window of the bus on the way back from a game or something!"
Chad didn't know why but as soon as he heard the word 'glass', the foggy feeling that generally came from a meeting with Leah or Natalie returned. It wasn't as bad as it normally was, in all honesty it was almost non existent.
It was like he was still him, but there was just a tiny bit of haze in his vision. If he wasn't familiar with the feeling, he might not have even noticed it was there.
"You said you're in Sherwood Forest?" Chad asked, resting his phone on his shoulder as he rolled up his sleeves. He knew exactly how that glass shard had wound up on the forest road, Conner had accidentally thrown a glass bottle out of the bus window on their way back from their game there.
In Conner's defense, they were all pumped after defeating Sherwood—despite the fact that they were all pretty cool with the other students there, the teams were rivals. It was a matter of pride winning against Sherwood.
Even though the true pleasure was trouncing Imperial Academy considering Lonnie's dad was the coach there. Again, friendly rivalry but still a rivalry. Though maybe not so friendly after the last game where one of the players knocked three of their players unconscious—including Ben! The player did apologize but Chad had to wonder how much of that had been his doing and how much of that had been Shang glaring at the boy in the background.
To be fair though, there wasn't much Chad wouldn't do if Li Shang was glaring at him. The former Captain was scary—there was no doubt that Lonnie came by it honesty.
"Yes Chad! Gods, I'm going to be late for Cotillion because of this! Or even miss it entirely! And I had the cutest dress too!" Audrey exclaimed, pulling Chad out of his thoughts and back to the conversation at hand. Holding back a sigh, the Charming Prince knew there was really one thing he could do.
"I'm on my way," he told her. Yes, Sherwood Forest was six hours away and yes he'd probably end up missing Cotillion. But his parents had raised him to help a woman in need and even if Audrey was his ex, she still needed help.
Plus, they had been friends once upon a time before they had dated. What kind of friend would he be if he just left Audrey stranded out there? Besides, once they got the tire changed, there was still a chance that there would still be a bit of Cotillion to enjoy. After all, there were all the Cotillion after parties.
He hung up his phone and quickly texted his sisters so that one of them would be able to tell their parents where he was if they asked. Snatching his keys from his dresser, Chad sighed as he walked out the door to his dorm.
Here I come Audrey, he thought, never noticing his invitation for Cotillion fluttering to the ground, having fallen out of his pocket. Or the boy in the grey suit stepping out of the shadows and snatching it up with a smirk on his face.
"I think it's time I see what all this Cotillion entails," Freddy muttered as he gently slipped the invite into the interior pocket of the suit he'd swiped from Ben's wardrobe. Maybe he'd even get to see some old annoyances. He hoped he'd get the chance.
Maybe he'd even get to introduce them to the business end of his sword. Or rather, the business end of Boreadon's sword. What? Just because he was in Boreadon didn't mean he had completely lost his wits.
If he was going to confront Hook or Jay, he was going to do it with a sword in his hand. If he was going to confront Mal, it was going to be near water. And if he was going to confront Uma...well maybe it'd be better if he limited it to just Hook, Jay, or Mal. They were the ones who had weaknesses that he could exploit.
Actually...Uma does have a weakness, Freddy thought with a smirk as he made his way to the grounds. A black haired, blue eyed First Mate with an obsession with a hook he doesn't need. I wonder how loud Uma would scream if Hook laid at my feet, bleeding from my sword.
He could teach Uma and Mal the importance of repenting after he bested Hook and Jay. After all, as long as the boys were there, he couldn't touch the witches. Oh sure the Boreadon boys would be there too but Freddy knew he could make quick work of them. Plus then Mal would be so distracted, seeing her precious Boreadon Brat lying on the deck of the yacht, that she'd never notice him throw her overboard.
At least…not before he had his fun with her.
"I think this is going to be a fun night indeed," he chuckled as he climbed into a nearby car. "Cotillion please," he told the driver and leaned back as the car lurched forward, making its way to the docks.