A bit of a longer chapter, I didn't want to lose momentum by splitting it up!
Seventeen. Junior Year.
Auradon itself was only twenty years old - it was a kingdom made up of a number of smaller member kingdoms. They'd come together to unite against villainy and build a brave new world.
Ben's father, King Adam, had proposed the alliance. And when the alliance turned into a kingdom in its own right, he was elected High King. That meant he was King of both his home kingdom of Villeneuve, overlooking the Loire Valley, and was ultimately responsible for the ruling of the member kingdoms. Power was devolved - each kingdom could pass legislation relevant to their own area, but the High Council had final say on things like budgets and crime management.
Ben would inherit both thrones when his father died, unless something made him step down before then. He had been a working royal since he was fourteen, juggling engagements and responsibilities with school and tourney. His path was already mapped out.
Start moulding his own policies and interests now, so that he had causes to champion when he graduated. Marry by twenty. Produce an heir and a spare by his twenty fifth birthday. Secure the line.
It was half the reason he was with Audrey.
In a world without villains, there was no need for True Love. But there was a need for a true partner.
Audrey understood this life and the pressures it brought. She was a good friend, someone he could enjoy the events with, someone they could both get those pesky firsts out of the way with.
Her father, Prince Phillip, and Chad's father, King Charming, had been the first to join the alliance that became Auradon. So they were next in line, after Ben. Anyone after that was classed as a minor royal. They had less responsibility, less exposure...less work.
Audrey and Chad had been training for this life as long as he had.
They all knew what came with a Crown. That it was more than state dinners and cutting ribbons.
So Audrey had ended up with Ben. It was just...logical.
It had made sense two years ago.
Chad was less fond of the idea.
Ben always knew Chad had a bit of a thing for Audrey. But he didn't realise how much of a thing it was until it was too late.
Two years ago, Chad was normal. Now, he was known as the Playboy Prince. A himbo, Lonnie called it.
Audrey and Ben had been 'talking' under the bleachers before the final Tourney match last season. Head Cheerleader and Tourney Captain. They were every storybook cliche known to man.
Chad had walked in on them, towing Ali Hale, Alice and Hatter's daughter, behind him. Audrey had squealed and hid her face in his shoulderpads. Ben had laughed it off. Ali made a joke about putting it in the school newspaper.
But Chad had just stood there. Staring. Just...hurt.
It was the first time Ben had realised that maybe the things were expected to be, wasn't the way they should be.
That maybe True Love couldn't conquer all.
He'd dreamed of a purple and blue haired Queen of Auradon that night.
The VK Programme started taking shape a few days later.
...
After walking away from Mal, Ben had gone straight after Doug, grabbed his best friend by the backpack and dragged him to his room to witness his nervous breakdown.
And now Ben was sitting by his desk with his head in his hands while Doug was lying back on the bed, clutching his stomach as he laughed.
He didn't know why he'd expected anything different.
Doug had spluttered and protested all the way back to Ben's room - something about missing a chance to talk to Evie at dinner, Ben wasn't really paying attention. And then when Ben had slammed the door closed and admitted to kissing Mal in a rush, Doug had almost choked on his own tongue.
"I'm glad you find this amusing." Ben groaned, glaring at the carpet.
He was an idiot. A complete idiot.
Worse than that, he was pretty sure this was some Chad level behaviour.
Chad was the one that caused scandal, not him. He was the future king. People expected more from him.
He was supposed to be the poster boy for goodness. He was supposed to encapsulate the virtues that his people held dear.
He didn't just kiss people while he had a girlfriend.
Audrey deserved better than this.
"Oh, this is too good." Doug gasped for air, desperately trying to compose himself. "I'm just glad you've finally realised you're human."
"I know I'm human." Ben muttered petulantly.
"This is the first thing I've seen you do for yourself since we were kids." Doug countered, taking a deep breath in an attempt to pull it together. Ben rolled his eyes as Doug wiped the tears of laughter away. It wasn't going to be funny when his parents found out he was...pulling a Chad.
Doug caught sight of Ben's reaction as he put his glasses back in place. "Dude, I love you. But having the parents you do...you and Audrey act like the world will fall apart if you guys make a single mistake. I know it's the pressure of royal life and I'll never really get it. But look," he gestured to the still air around them. To the sun shining outside his room. "The apocalypse is not nigh."
"That's just because Hades is saving the horsemen for when Audrey kills me." Ben ran a hand through his hair, suddenly thinking of the god that he'd only ever seen at Council meetings. Hades wasn't just the God of Death. He was the bringer of all things chaos. He was exactly the kind of person - being - who'd turn up to his murder with popcorn.
What had he done?
He was an idiot.
Surely he was too young for an existential crisis like this?
"Do you want me to douse you in lake water?" Doug offered, pointing to the safe hidden behind one of the oak panels. "There's a reason Fairy Godmother insisted we keep some in the school when you decided to bring villains over."
"Children of villains." Ben corrected automatically. For someone who wanted to get with a VK, Doug still used the terminology they'd grown up with. Then he sighed and added, "I'm not spelled. Mal threw the love potion cookies away weeks ago."
You could have heard a pin drop.
"I feel like I need more context on that." Doug was on his feet and heading towards the safe in an instant. It was one of two in the room, everyone who had access had their own code. Only Ben knew the location and code to the second. He was already keying in his twelve digit code when Ben stopped him, "She didn't spell me. This is all on me."
Ben really shouldn't have been surprised when Doug grabbed the vial of lake water and threw it in his face anyway.
"Thanks," Ben stood there for a moment. Then he opened his eyes, blinked at Doug and shook his head, throwing water droplets everywhere. "Still want to go kiss a girl who isn't my girlfriend though."
"Had to check." Doug shrugged, putting the vial back into the safe and closing it over. "Spiked cookies?"
"Lonnie caught them baking in the middle of the night, thought they were acting a bit weird." He went over to his desk and flopped entirely without grace into the chair. "And it's Lonnie, so of course the first thing she did when she got back to her dorm was find out what spells require baking and human tears."
"And you said nothing."
Ben shrugged and refused to meet Doug's eye.
"What exactly were you going to do when you were offered said love cookie?"
"Eat it. Hope for the best." He shrugged again. Then stood up, heading over to his window. He couldn't sit still. He had too much energy to burn off. He'd need to go for a run later. And not veer past Mal's dorm room. "Go on a date to the Enchanted Lake or I'd douse myself in lake water when I got back here. Thought I could figure out what they were planning."
"You're insane."
"I'm aware."
They stood in silence for a long moment, before Doug started laughing again. "You have a thing for this girl."
Ben sighed heavily, shoving his hands into his pockets. He sounded like he was admitting to the original sin, "I've never felt like this. Ever."
"Then break up with Audrey." Doug replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He was earnest as he added, "Now. Tonight. Before this goes any further."
Ben's eyes dropped to the floor. He imagined Audrey's reaction to being unceremoniously dumped. And her rage after finding out it was because he'd fallen for a VK. And not just any VK, but the daughter of her grandmother's sworn enemy. "She has lessons with her fairy godmothers tonight. I'm not doing it over text."
He didn't want to hurt Audrey.
But he didn't want to be with her anymore either.
The kiss flashed through his mind again.
The fireworks.
True Love was supposed to have fireworks...
"Tomorrow morning then. Just be blunt. Don't beat around the bush. Let her think it's her idea and that she's gaining from it." Doug paused. Then snickered. Ben looked at him in exasperation. "Your mom is going to kill you if she ever finds out, you know that right?"
...
"I'm sorry what?"
Ben wasn't quite sure he'd heard Audrey right. It sounded like she was breaking up with him.
Well, that's convenient.
They were in his office, the one that had been added to his dorm room the moment he turned sixteen. It meant more privacy, that he could lock himself away from the world when he needed to, and that he didn't need to take over Fairy Godmother's office every time he got a confidential phone call.
And somehow, it was now the backdrop for his break-up with Audrey.
Not that this was what he'd planned.
It had taken a few more hours of back and forth with Doug to work out exactly how he was going to handle this. They knew he had to do it as soon as possible. Before he had to see Mal in classes or Audrey could make any more plans or someone worked something out.
When Audrey had text that night asking if they could talk before breakfast, he'd seized the opportunity. He'd barely slept - rehearsing and rehashing the conversation and questioning his life choices and really just every moment that led to this point.
But somehow...Audrey bet him to it.
"I mean it. It's me or her, Ben."
He was so confused.
She'd sauntered into his office like normal, dropped her purse onto a chair, tossed him a pen and whispered 'just go with it' before launching into a full volume argument.
"I know what you said. I'm trying to understand why." Ben snapped, suddenly defensive. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but nothing was making sense anymore. He should have just agreed to go their separate ways, since whatever she was up to aligned with his plan. He should let her take the credit. But Audrey was giving him an ultimatum. Her or Mal. And that didn't sit well with him. "There's nothing going on with Mal."
Liar. He pushed the guilty admission to the back of his mind, focusing on keeping his expression blank. On working out exactly what Audrey thought she knew.
"For the last six months, all I've heard is Mal this and and The Isle that. We haven't had a single conversation in months that hasn't turned into a discussion on Isle policies or mentions her name about a dozen times." Audrey huffed.
Tell me what you really think, Ben thought as he studied his soon to be ex-girlfriend carefully.
Something wasn't right. Sarcasm dripped from every word, but her expression was empty. Like she was just an actor reciting her lines.
She was saying the right words for a breakup, but he couldn't find any passion behind them. The Audrey he knew was a powerhouse. She was like a serpent - her words were sweet, her every move calculated. She knew exactly how to find out what you wanted and how to work it to her favour. At sixteen, she was already a better politician than he was.
If Audrey had really wanted to keep him, she'd be throwing a proper fit. Scratch that, she'd have thrown a fit a week ago.
But instead, she just looked...detached.
Her tone was harsh for anyone listening in - but it seemed like she kept looking towards the door pointedly. Ben furrowed his brows when she did it again. She'd definitely just looked at the door.
When he took a moment too long to respond, Audrey filled the gap,"If I didn't know better, I'd think you liked her." Then she gestured to the notebook, her raised eyebrows telling him to catch the fuck up already.
Just go with it.
As Audrey's first words echoed in his mind, a light went off, and Ben realised what was happening.
He really was an idiot.
As part of their major royal training, Cogsworth had run a number of scenarios to help them deal with any number of obstacles they might face.
This was the one they'd affectionately nicknamed Operation Shitstorm.
It was very handy for when you knew you were being listened to, and wanted to cause some misdirection. If they couldn't pre-plan it, they signalled the start of it by making eye contact and casually tossing something in the air. Like a pen or a coin.
Ben should have picked up that cue. But he was too preoccupied with running the breakup through his head and being defensive about Mal to notice. And now there was no question that Audrey would know he was up to something.
"So what? You want me to give up on the Isle?" Rolling his eyes, Ben leant back against his desk and spread his arms, palms to the ceiling, his message clear. Really? We're doing this?
To anyone listening, he sounded angry. Audrey threw him a grin, happy that he was finally playing along.
"Abandon my flagship policy and the dozens of children living in poverty…" Still grinning, Audrey made a go on motion with her finger, the universal signal for go big or go home. He paused for effect before snapping, "Because you're jealous?"
"I am not jealous." It took skill to sound that shrill while looking positively gleeful.
He had to admit it was fun. They'd never had to do this for real. It was kind of exhilarating.
Even if he had no idea what had caused the need for a political misinformation campaign in the middle of a school week.
If anyone was walking past his dorms, they'd probably find Sally White lurking in the hallways. The daughter of a media tycoon was the quickest way to disseminate information without having an argument in front of the whole school.
"Then where's this coming from?" he shouted, feigning exasperation.
"You've changed, Ben." Audrey spat, clearly enjoying herself. She never got to be this petty in their normal life, "And I'm not sure it's for the better."
Ben had to fight back the urge to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Instead, he kept his tone cold as he replied dryly, "It's called growth. Maybe you should try it."
He heard a thud from the other side of his office door as someone dropped something. His money was on Sally trying to record the whole thing for her mother.
Ben threw Audrey an exasperated look, and she merely raised her eyebrows in agreement. She meant 'I know right?', but because of their audience she had to phrase it as, "Screw you, Ben."
A muffled squeak reached them, and Ben just shook his head. This was going to be running in every gossip magazine for weeks. His father was not going to be happy about this…
Well there was one more thing that was going to delay making a move on Mal...
Audrey gestured towards his desk with two open hands, the gimme clear. Ben took the hint, grabbing a notepad and pen and tossing them to her. She wouldn't risk writing anything down before she entered his office - Cogsworth had told them horror stories of enemy spies taking the next page of a notebook and finding confidential information from the indents on the page. It's why they never wrote anything down without a paper protector and why their handwriting was feather-light.
At a more normal volume, she added primly, "I'll have Grammy's press secretary release a statement."
She didn't even look at him as she spoke, instead staring intently at the pad.
Ben sighed heavily, ensuring he sounded irritated, "Or we could not report our every move to the press."
Audrey bit back a laugh, her eyes glinting the way they did when she knew she'd gotten away with something. Passing the notepad over, she snapped, "Yeah. I'm not doing that."
Ben glanced down at the paper, his jaw dropping at the note. He looked to Audrey - really? - and when she shrugged, he ripped the page off the pad and headed for the shredder. Putting on his best dismissive tone, he shrugged, "Worth a shot."
God, he was going to come across as a right asshole in the press.
Audrey smiled, genuinely this time. She'd followed him to the shredder, watching as her admission of her grandparents' plans disappeared. Reaching down, she squeezed his hand and whispered, "We'll talk later."
And then she huffed loudly and stomped her foot. Ben heard muffled scuffing on the other side of the door that Audrey was marching towards. She grabbed her purse on the way out, stopping with one hand on the doorknob to toss over her shoulder, "You're going to regret this Ben. They'll never let you make a villain your Queen."
She slammed the door for added effect, and Ben sagged back against his desk.
It looked like he wouldn't be making breakfast.
Looking down at his watch, he sighed heavily. 7.36am. He had an hour and a half before his first class. And now he had a phone call to make before then too.
Rounding his desk, he fired off a quick message to the kitchens, asking them to send some food over. Then he flopped into his chair as he dialled his father.
King Adam started every day at 5am, he read the overnight updates, went for a swim in their pool, had his morning briefing, then met Belle (and Ben if he was home) for breakfast at 7.30. Like clockwork. He was probably buttering his toast right now.
Adam answered on the fourth ring, and Ben skipped the pleasantries, "So Queen Leah made Audrey break up with me in an attempt to derail the VK programme. And I'm pretty sure Sally White recorded the whole thing."
…
Ben ignored the whispers as he made his way through the rest of the school day. Everyone knew about his argument with Audrey before first period. His first class was math which meant it was easy to zone out and think about what today meant.
If Leah and Stefan no longer saw him as the 'desirable match' for Audrey, they were up to something bigger than just airing displeasure at the VK programme. It made him nervous - Auradon was still a relatively new state and a rebellion could be disastrous for the economy. And if some kingdoms split off...it wasn't worth thinking about.
His parents were stopping by tonight, to meet with him and Audrey, to get all the details before they acted. They just had to wait for the news to leak before they could turn up. It would look suspicious otherwise.
Caught up in his thoughts, Ben barely noticed the message flash up on his cell. Then he registered the name and his heart flipped.
Mal: So I hear you had an interesting morning
Mal: The evil side of me wants to laugh but the 'goodness' part that you insist I work on thinks I should check in on you. That's what friends do right?
Ben grinned. She admitted she considered him a friend. It was a win he'd take.
Ben: Honestly, I'm fine. And it was nothing to do with yesterday
Mal: My name is still being thrown around
Ben: I'm working on that. Once it hits the papers we can issue a statement rejecting whatever points they throw up
Ben: I'm sorry you got dragged into this
He paused. Weighing his words against the likelihood she'd go off on her own for some kind of Isle justice.
Ben: My Isle policies clash with her grandparents' views. It was bound to cause problems eventually.
Ben: For Doug's sake I'm glad they didn't blame Evie.
Mal: Then I'd have to hurt them
Ben: Let me handle it
Mal: No promises.
Mal: And this doesn't get you out of our English assignment
He chuckled, feeling lighter than he had since their kiss yesterday as he replied.
Ben: Wouldn't dream of it
...
Ben let Audrey into his office half an hour before his parents arrived. Everyone thought she was in her room moping, when in reality she was curled up in one of his armchairs with a book while he dealt with paperwork.
They'd planned the meeting so there were as few witnesses as possible. Ben skipped dinner, instead ordering in. He and Audrey had had a proper conversation during lunch - neither one of them had felt up to facing the cafeteria, so they'd hidden out by the boating shed.
It was off season, so no one would notice. Especially when he had a free period after lunch.
His guilty conscience made him tell Audrey everything within minutes of arriving.
Ben really didn't deserve a friend like Audrey. She'd just laughed and told him she knew he had a thing for Mal, and that she was just waiting on him waking up to it. Then she gave him some tips for keeping her sweet while they waited for the break up to blow over.
He'd asked her if this meant she was going to finally say yes to Chad, but Audrey just shot him a look and said something about making him work for it first.
So by the time Adam and Belle arrived, Ben wasn't sure what else there was to say.
King Adam didn't have any such issues.
...
"So your grandmother wants to disrupt the VK programme."
"Let's be honest, it's not a surprise." Audrey sighed, pushing her steak around her plate as she answered Ben's father. Belle nodded in agreement, clearly remembering the objections Leah had made after the Proclamation. She'd turned up at the Palace and thrown what could only be described as a temper tantrum. "I think they think that by making people believe Mal split us up, it'll start a spiral."
Ben could believe that. He and Audrey had been Auradon's golden couple. Leah's PR machine had been painting them as the future of the monarchy since before they started dating. He was the poster boy for goodness, and Audrey was the princess next door. Everyone loved them. Everyone wanted to be them.
It would be easy to paint Mal as the villain.
Audrey sighed again, looking out Ben's window towards the Isle, glowing green under the barrier. Thirty miles off the coast. That was how close child poverty was to their daily lives. "I just wish I could do more while I'm still convincing her that I'm loyal."
Audrey may not have entirely agreed with his plans for the Isle, but she'd supported him. Challenged the points that needed to be challenged and called him out for being too optimistic where she thought he was being reckless. His policy was better for it.
She didn't trust the VKs. Probably wouldn't care if they went back to the Isle without a word. She definitely didn't realise how similar she and Evie were.
But Audrey was smart. And she wasn't going down for treason for anyone.
"You did wonderfully." Belle reassured her, reaching out to squeeze her hand. Audrey gave her a small smile, and Ben remembered Audrey's fear that his mother didn't really like her. He didn't know how true that was, but there was no doubt that his mother respected her today, "Now we just need to keep our eyes and ears open."
"You should avoid each other for a few weeks." Adam continued on, pulling up his calendar on his phone. He studied it intently for a few moments before he continued, "Next term should be soon enough to start being friends again. Let your grandparents think there might still be a chance to influence Ben. In the meantime, there's a Family Day in a few weeks. Let's see what she does when faced with real VKs."
Adam tucked his phone back into his blazer and fixed them both with an even stare. The one that told them he meant business, and that this wasn't just roleplaying politics anymore.
"Which means you both have to keep your noses clean until this all blows over."
So no dating Mal, then.