The Golden Age of Unlikely Friendships

Author's Note

Hi, everyone! The third chapter of TGAOUF is now out and ready for you to read! Thank you so much for all the support and love you have been giving this story- we are both so happy everyone's enjoying it! Hope you enjoy this update.

**This story was given to me by WanderlustandFreedom. The majority of the ideas/outline and the first several chapters, including this one, are ALL HERS..**

Year 3

King Adam's embarrassment knew no bounds. He was so mortified by his son bowing to Maleficent that he forbade Ben to sit in on the next year's meetings. It was only through careful manipulation that Ben managed to regain his seat, a week before the annual event rolled around again.

He waited carefully until his parents were surrounded by friends at a high-end event and stood dutifully by their sides. When someone finally turned the conversation towards

him and how much he'd grown up, he tried to keep from smirking.

"He looks so grown-up in that color!" Queen Ariel marveled, running a hand down Ben's sleeve. "You've got such a handsome son."

"He's a good one," King Adam puffed out his chest and smiled at Ben. "Smart, kind, and very capable of himself."

"I've been sitting in on the solstice events for the last two years," Ben informed the wide circle, most of whom already knew this. "But not this year."

"Really?" King Charming asked, frowning. "Why not this year? Is something going on?"

"Dad doesn't want me talking to Maleficent again," Ben informed everyone, all too aware of his father's face turning purple again. "He was very concerned for my well-being."

"Well-being?" Snow White looked confused. "She had high praise for you. She even talked about you after the meeting let out. Said you were the kindest person in the courts and that she hoped you would grow up to help make lots of changes to help aid everyone in Auradon."

"Really?" Ben asked, cutting off his dad before Adam could interject himself. "That's very kind of her to say."

"I think she likes you the best out of everyone there," King Florian admitted. "She was much more amicable that meeting."

"I was hoping to be able to talk to her and her daughter again," Ben said, glancing at his mother and gauging how his dad must be reacting based on her amused smile. "But they don't usually attend the after-parties. I guess the parties aren't really their scene. Maybe I can sit in next year."

"Well, why not this year?" King Eric asked, turning to look at Adam. "Com on, Adam. The boy will be king in six short years and he's already done so well!"

King Adam forced a very tense smile as Ben tried to keep the smug look off his face. "I believe Ben misunderstood me," he said through gritted teeth. "I asked him to please be careful around Maleficent. He is, of course, allowed to sit in if he'd like." He paused and turned to Ben, digging his nails into his legs. "Would you?"

"That would be awesome!" Ben exclaimed. "I can't wait to see everyone again!"

He knew he was getting a bit older and didn't have as much of a 'cute' factor, but there was still the occasional instance where he could use his still-lingering childishness to get people to further sympathize with him.

Part of him wanted to spit out: "Can Maleficent sit closer to us this year?" but he knew better than to push buttons with warning signs on them.

His mother noticed her son's mischievousness, of course. She used to do the same thing. When she sent him away to go and grab two waters for his parents, he heard her whisper in Adam's ear: "You know he did that on purpose, right?" His dad was fuming when he returned, but Ben still had the right to sit in on the meetings.

Despite the fact he tried to arrive early again, he didn't get to talk to Mal. Mal went straight to sit in her usual place while Maleficent paused to lean across the table and shake his hand. "Young Prince Benjamin," she greeted, examining him with the corner of her mouth pulling up. "It's a pleasure to see you here."

"It's a pleasure to see you too, Lady Maleficent," he greeted her, then paused. Is she a lady? She was never crowned as a leader, only elected. She wasn't a duchess or a princess either.

"Is it Lady?" he asked. "I just realized I don't know your title."

"The Isle of the Lost is given no official Auradon Kingdom status, therefore we have no leaders. Only representatives." Maleficent explained, glancing to King Adam as he sat down and opened up his notebook.

"Ah," Ben nodded. "Then Queen will have to do. Unless you prefer something else?" He didn't want to offend her by giving her a title that she wasn't technically able to attain. But Maleficent finally let a smile appear on her face.

"That's very kind of you, young sir."

"It's not kindness, just common sense," Ben shrugged. "Queen Maleficent and Princess Mal."

King Adam set his pen down and gave Ben a pointed look. Since his stunt with their friends, his parents had been rather mindful of the way Ben talked and how he acted

when he wanted something. Ben looked away though, down the table with Maleficent where Mal sat with her slightly unruly purple hair, glaring at him for calling her a princess.

"You," Maleficent recaptured his attention again with a smirk pulling at her lips. "Will be a wonderful king one day." Then, she went to sit at the end of the table.

"I know what you're doing," Adam murmured under his breath. "Don't think I don't."

"I just want them to like me." Ben whispered back.

"You just want to prove you're better."

"No, that's what you want to do. That's why you make her sit so far away and you don't invite her to anything else. And she knows. That's why she doesn't shake your hand."

"I'm being cautious. You are being foolhardy. You want to prove you can do something better than me."

"You know, Dad, the world doesn't have to revolve around you." He said this a bit louder, so his voice carried down the table, and people who were waiting quietly for the meeting to begin glanced up in confusion.

Adam's face burned and he said no more. Ben knew he was going to be punished for mouthing off later, but for now, it's worth it.

Soon, Phillip and Aurora arrived. Ben noticed that this year, the seating arrangements were different. Phillip and Aurora sat across from him and they put Audrey at his side, where she twisted her curly hair and glanced nervously down the table toward Mal and Maleficent.

Ben squinted at his dad. Why were they closer? What's going on? Something was clearly brewing, but Ben couldn't figure it out.

Cinderella and Charming also brought their small son Chad, who was friends with Ben.

Chad pointed at Mal. "That girl has ratty purple hair!" he exclaimed loudly.

Ben pinched his lips. Did everyone have to be so rude?

He didn't get to talk to Mal during or after the meeting since Maleficent swept Mal away before Phillip and Aurora could stand. Ben wasn't sure if she was trying to make a statement against them or if she was trying to avoid confrontation. Either way, she was correct.

"Oh, thank goodness it's over," Aurora sighed when Maleficent left. "It's so... awkward to be sitting here with her."

"I don't like her," Audrey whimpered. "Why does she have to come?"

"Because she's representing the Isle of the Lost," Ben snapped irritably, a little louder than he meant to. "If you all would stop being so rude and put aside personal reservations, you would see she's actually quite nice."

"Ben!" Adam finally snapped, glaring at his son. "Would you kindly put away that attitude?"

"Only if I have permission to say that the next time you're mouthing off about her or anyone else," Ben responded. "Don't think I don't know all the different insults you dish out about all these people once they all go home from events!"

Adam's face burned as Ben snapped his notebook closed and took a deep breath. Everyone remaining in the room was staring at him.

He focused on keeping his hands from shaking the table as he got to his feet. "You all think it's acceptable to talk about Maleficent behind her back because of what she's representing and what happened in the past. But if I said about Aurora, 'Thank goodness

it's over, it's so awkward sitting here with her', you all would try to convince me otherwise."

Aurora froze, then bowed her head in shame. She looked stunned to have that brought to her attention so clearly. King Adam, however, snapped his own notebook closed and pointed to the door.

"Out," he demanded in a growl. "Go down to your room and stay there until you're summoned."

"Why?" Ben demanded, even though he knew he should stop talking now. "Because I'm right? Or because now I've fulfilled my purpose in sitting here and making it look like you have a perfect son and now that I'm not agreeing with you, I need to be shut away until you need to prove again to everyone how much better your child is? I don't think anyone else knows that the reason you wanted me to start coming is because you wanted Maleficent to know I was better than her daughter. Because you need to be the best at everything. And that's why you're so angry with me, because I'm a better friend to Maleficent than you are."

Adam stood up, picked up his chair, and threw it against the wall. The legs and back splintered and broke off. "Out!" he yelled, and everyone stood up in a flash. Ben pushed his chair back in and then ducked underneath the table before Adam could snatch his

collar.

He joined the throng of people streaming towards the doors and then exited the room without being caught.

He didn't go straight to his room. He was smarter than that. He went straight to his mother, because Adam wouldn't break anything or yell in front of her.

If only he could sit beside Mal and play games underneath the table like he and Audrey were able to. But, Ben knows, the day his dad allows that, will be the day Ben is in charge and his dad won't actually have a real say in it.

Later, Ben flopped back down on his bed. He wished he'd been able to talk to Mal at least a little bit. She and her mother would be leaving tomorrow before the ball and then he wouldn't see her until next year.

There came a scraping sound from the balcony, and he jumped up and glanced over at the doors leading to the aforementioned area. He snuck over to his desk as more shuffles came from outside and picked up a ruler with a metal straightedge to protect himself as he stepped closer to the doors.

Before he could reach them, they snapped open, and someone appeared in the doorway. He braced himself, and then…

"Mal?"

The purple-haired girl was standing in the entry, taking in her surroundings. She glanced sharply at him when he started to speak. "What're you doing here?" She demanded.

"This is my room," Ben explained. "What are you doing here?"

Mal's shoulders slumped. "Sorry," she sighed. "I assumed this part of the castle was uninhabited. Didn't think anyone would want to put Maleficent near anyone else." She brushed her hair out of her face. "I was trying to make it into the gardens. I've never seen roses and my... friend asked if I should show her one."

She sighed and crossed her arms. "Am I going to be arrested for breaking in?"

Ben raised an eyebrow. He hesitated. Technically, she was committing a crime by sneaking in. If she'd been wanting to hurt him, it'd be a felony. But...

"No," he decided, shaking his head. "No, because I let you in." He stepped around her and shut the balcony doors. "Why didn't you just use your doors?"

"Oh," Mal rolled her eyes. "Your servants– or father, either one –saw fit to lock us in our rooms at night. Must be some anti-vandalism policy."

Ben's blood boiled. "I'll get that fixed," he promised. "If I bring it up and spread it around, my dad will get embarrassed. And if that doesn't work, I'll just leave an anonymous tip at a tabloid that people are locked up here and that'll get 'em."

Mal let out a little laugh and glanced at the doors. "Is it okay if I go, then?" She asked.

"Wait," Ben set down his ruler and then began searching through his drawers. "Do you have a pair of scissors?"

"Scissors?"

"To get a rose?"

Mal almost leapt through the roof in surprise. "I wasn't going to cut it!" she exclaimed. "I only wanted to draw one."

She reached into her pockets, withdrew a pencil and several papers, and then looked at him for approval. Ben offered her the scissors. "You can cut one if you want." You weren't technically supposed to cut flowers from Belle's garden, but if Ben gave her permission, so be it.

Mal, however, frowned. "Won't it die?" she asked.

"It'll die anyways," Ben assured her. "Might as well be enjoyed."

Mal took the scissors. She looked impressed. Ben watched her withdraw to the door. She paused with her hand on the handle. "My mom's really impressed with you," she said.

"That's very kind of-"

"No, you don't get it. She doesn't get impressed with people. Ever."

"Well, then it's twice the compliment," Ben stuttered. He wasn't sure what to say. Part of him wanted to ask about Maleficent's relationship with Mal. The other part of him wanted to live.

Mal hummed and then twisted the knob and left. He kept the door unlocked so she could sneak back in and climb up to her room again. Then, he went to bed.

The scissors were back on his desk when he got up the next morning.