Disclaimer: I do not own the existing characters that we know and love from Descendants, although I do take ownership over Rose and the new characters

A/N: Don't forget to review- I'd love to know what you think

Chapter 06

"Another petal fell from the rose."

"Ben and Rose will be okay. We have to have faith."

"I couldn't bear it if something happened to Rose. We've only just got her back. She's only just come home and I never expected that to happen ever... Do you think the same thing will break the curse?"

"If it's cursed, it could. It could just be symbolic of Rose's absence from Auradon."

-o-

Seeing Mal's face when I reach the coast of the isle tears me apart inside. She looks for Ben, immediately worrying where he is. It's dark and quiet, with no sign of anyone anywhere nearby. She's not spotted Mother Gothel leaving with both Ben and Ginny, which tells me this isn't going to easy.

"Mal..." I whisper, feeling the tears in my eyes. "I have messed up. Really badly."

"Where's Ben?" Mal demands, looking between me, Harry and Uma.

I still feel weak and tired, resting my hands on her shoulders. "It all happened so quickly. Ben decided we should split up in order to take Mother Gothel by surprise. I found Harry as Gothel's prisoner, but Ben found her. He must have made a deal to allow me to remain in Auradon long term."

"Long term? What do you mean 'long term'?"

"Mother Gothel put a spell on me that meant I can't stay in Auradon without falling ill. The longer I stay there, the worse I will become. It's like a sickness. I can't explain it." I bite my tongue hard, pausing for a moment. "All along, she never wanted me back. Mother Gothel might have acted like it, but she suspected the king would be loyal to his new sister and never let me go alone. And now Ben's under her control. She'll have taken him to Auradon. There are many places for her to hide there and it'll take months for us to find her."

"So what now, Rose?" Mal asks, trying not to be spiteful before spotting me waver. "Rose?"

Harry steps forwards, catching me as I fall. "Well, I must say, but you have got to stop falling for me, Princess."

I rub my temple hard. "Let's get back to Auradon. I need to have a map and pinpoint where Mother Gothel will have taken Ben. Whatever happens, we do not tell Belle and Beast what has happened to their son. They cannot know. There's enough blame at my door. I don't want them to think ill of me more than they probably already do. Promise me you won't tell. All of you, please be quiet about it. I will figure this out."

-o-

Back in Auradon, Mal brings me a map of the kingdom. We lean over it in the library. Harry and Uma watch from a distance, engaging in a hushed conversation that's just out of earshot. I try to make out that I'm not listening to them, but I think it's pretty obvious.

"Rose- is everything alright?" Mal queries, placing a hand over mind. "I don't blame you for what happened to Ben. Knowing we will get him back is enough to make it okay with me. Together…" She leans forwards, dipping her head trying to get my full attention. "There's something else, isn't there?"

"Ben has apparently organised a marriage for me already. Passed me off before I've even been in Auradon a week..."

"What? No. Ben wouldn't do that. He believes in making our own choices."

"Ask my mother and father. They are well aware of the upcoming engagement."

"To who?"

I clear my throat, spotting 'Cinderellasburg' on the map and wincing at the thought of it becoming my home soon. "We need to look for the original tower where Rapunzel was held. Which will be somewhere outside of Corona. South East Riding maybe? Near the river. That's where we should search..."

"Rose?"

The door opens and I spot my mum standing in the doorway with a blonde boy behind her. Not wanting anyone to know what's going, I stride out of the door.

"Mum?"

"Rose. Before you two left, Ben asked for me to introduce you to-"

I know how the sentence ends and add, "Chad Charming. Well I guess I should say it's a pleasure to meet you properly. We were in the middle of something, so I should probably get back to it."

Chad flashes me a half-smile, running a hand through his blonde curls. "I'd love to go for a walk with you. You don't appear to be doing anything important." His hand is on mind, interlocking fingers and dragging me away. "You know, you're going to love Cinderellasburg. You'd fit in perfectly there. By my side of course."

I glance over my shoulder to see Mal and Harry standing behind Mum with varied expressions on their faces. "Chad- wait. Slow down."

He doesn't stop. Instead, he takes me out the large double doors at the end of the corridor. "Who would have thought that Ben would have had a little sister and that I'd get the chance to court her?"

"Court me?" I laugh, shuffling down the steps after him. "Chad, slow down. Please."

Chad stops immediately and I trip down the steps, tripping into him. I can feel his hands on the small of my back and I push away quickly. It feels so forced and awkward. We look at each other in the eyes until he puts me down on to the step above him.

I stifle a laugh, trying not to draw attention to the sudden closeness. "Woah- you have such blue eyes."

"Genetics," he replies bluntly, smiling like he's pleased with himself. "And I have a theory. I think you'd be great at kissing."

"That is incredibly forward of you, Chad," I reply, looking away nervously, feeling immediately hot in my cheeks. "I'm sorry, but I've got a job I need to do for Ben. If you will excuse me." My heart races with nerves. I go to walk away, but there's a hand holding mine

"One thing before you go." Chad scoops me up in his arms and I freeze. "Now, let's test that theory of mine out."

"Theory-?"

His lips are on mine and I lose myself in the moment, frozen in shock.

"I'm sorry..." I whisper, pushing back and fidgeting so that he drops me. Flustered, I back away, feeling strange. "Ben needs me to do something for me."

"Don't you want to know if I was right?" Chad asks, shaking his head and making his hair flop from side to side. "Because I think you'd be pleasantly surprised."

"I've got to go, Chad." I point back over the door. "Now's not a great time, but I'm sure there will be plenty of time to talk things over later. Okay?"

"Check you later, Rose..." Chad whistles as I turn and walk up the steps.

I bury my head in my hands as I enter the buildings again, walking straight into Mal. I straighten my clothes in a single sweep of my hands, embodying a state that makes everything appear okay.

"You look like you want to talk to me?" I say hastily, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Quickly, before the others come back." She pulls me to one side of the corridor, slightly out of the way. "Are you happy? With this whole getting engaged to Chad Charming. He's not exactly the first choice, but I suppose there aren't a lot of available princes for a princess... Besides, I'm sure it would be okay if you argued your point otherwise."

"Why?" I ask in exasperation. "Seriously, why? Oh come on Mal. What choice do I have? Because I'm getting so many offers otherwise, right?! Who else could there be?"

"But Rose-"

"No Mal," I reply harshly, turning away and trying to maintain a stern face. "As the new princess of Auradon, there are a couple of things that I have to do for the good of my family's kingdom. This is just one of them. Please don't make this hard on me, Mal. Just let me get on with this. I have to marry Chad Charming for the good of Auradon."

Mal hugs me tightly, rubbing her hand on my back. "So I guess this is the time where I tell you that Harry has agreed to accompany you to explore the areas you specified. I'll stay here and try to act as if Ben is sick or something. I hope I can be convincing enough to make everyone believe me."

"Mal. You will be fine, but pass on a message for me. Tell Harry to stay here and carry on with his life. I don't need Harry to come with me. I don't need anyone to come with me because that just puts them in danger. One person has already been a target because of me. If I confront Mother Gothel alone, then less people will be in danger."

"Oh Rose. You know I won't let you do that. You can't go alone. I won't let you."

I nod, exhaling slowly. "I should go and change. Any idea how I'm getting to Riding?"

She puts a set of keys in my hand. "A little purple and yellow moped. Call it a welcome to your new home gift from me." Mal watches me go up the stairs to change. "It will be okay, Rose."

In my room, I raid the wardrobe which has been filled with new clothes for me, seeing as I arrived empty handed. I pick a long sleeved purple and yellow zip up with dark jeans and sturdy boots. As I start to undress, I realise that I still have Harry's hook on my belt, so I transfer the whole belt across.

My hands hold the hook, running a finger along the curve. "You idiot Harry Hook."

I neatly fold a few more garments into a leather rucksack and fidget with my rose pendant necklace. I grab other items I feel I might need, noticing the dry blood on my hand from the cut that Ginny gave me. It makes me wonder how I am actually going to break the spell on Ben, because I didn't actually have any idea myself.

There's a knock at the door as I am about to leave. I open the door to find out who it is. Standing on the other side, Harry.

"Harry, hey. Oh... right," I exclaim loudly, holding out his hook. "I believe this really belongs to you. I was just looking after it."

He smiles, caressing the hook in one hand. "I was wondering when I might get this back, but there's actually something I want to ask you."

"I don't think you should come with me, Harry." I sigh, exhaling long and hard, caught up in Harry's eyes. "Well, I don't think it's a good idea, but if you think it might be, then I guess you can come with me to confront Mother Gothel. As long as you behave of course. It makes no difference to me." I hear something outside that's distracts my train of thought. It makes me notice my hands on Harry's shoulders. "What's that noise? It sounds like violins or something..."

I walk away, following the stairs, then out onto the corridor. It grows louder and louder the closer I get to the doors. A stringed orchestra. My eyes widen and my mouth drops when I see the scene before me.

"Rosie, I wanted to talk about-" Harry starts, standing behind me and falling silent when he sees it too. "Well I feel a little underdressed," he mutters half-heartedly.

You're telling me...

At the bottom of the stairs, Chad is wearing a fresh blue suit and his curls have been pushed back gently off his face. On either side of him, musicians play beautifully.

"I thought we could speed up our meetings," he calls out to me. "Let's call this a second date and see if you dance as well as you kiss."

Harry stutters, having heard the comment, "What did he just say? Because now is really not the time to be engaging in dances, Princess. The king is in danger." His hook is around my wrist, trying to hold me there.

"I'll get rid of him, Harry. Trust me." I slip my hand away, walking slowly down the steps, dipping my head to Chad in polite gesture. "I'm really sorry Chad, but I have something really important that I need to do. Can this not wait until I get back?"

Chad's blue eyes watch something over my head. "Your bodyguard is insisting on watching and if it's a show he wants to see... Then a show he can get."

I'm only about to take a moment to glance back at Harry before Chad pulls me around like a ragdoll, spinning me backwards and forwards, until he dips me across him. My mumbling stammers aren't enough to stop him from planting yet another kiss on me, but I twist away faster.

"Stop it. I said later. We will talk and get everything out in the air I promise. Just, not now. There really is some stuff I need to take care of. Now is really not a good time." I stand up straight and tall to see Harry storming away in a huff.

I go to follow him quickly, hearing my boots clicking against the stone steps. "Harry, stop!"

His long sleeveless red coat swings from side to side as he strides away. He climbs onto the moped that's supposed to be a gift from Mal, lacking in care for what I might say about him driving. Harry does it because he really doesn't care. He takes one of the two matching helmets, dropping it onto his swept over, floppy brown locks. His hand is on the throttle, ready to go before I'm even ready.

I round on the moped, standing in front of it and layering my hands over his. "No!" I snap loudly. "You do not get to run off like that, Harry. Not now. Not ever. Not from me," I groan loudly in exasperation. "I don't know what has gotten into you lately. I don't know if it's your stubbornness, or just plain jealousy-"

"What? You think I'm jealous? O' him? Of Prince Charmin' over there?" He throws his head back to the stairs where Chad is coming into view having followed me. "It's fine, I get it now. You are a princess. I am the son of a villain. We don't move in the same bubbles anymore. The past is in the past. History. That's what we are. A thing of the past."

I shake my head, blindly trying to make sense of what's going on. "Wait. What are you actually saying? Pragmatics and hidden meanings aside. I need to know. Tell me the truth, Harry. You owe me that much."

Harry reaches back for the other helmet, placing it in my hands. "It's not important, and don't start trying to argue with me by saying 'it is'. Now put your helmet on and get on. It's a long way to Riding."

"You do know that I never meant for any of this to happen, don't you?" I say, clicking the buckle of the helmet under my chin, trying not to catch any hair. "And of course, you're driving. You just want to say something pathetic like- oh I don't know..." I decide to crack out the impression. "Trust me Rosie. You're going to want to hold on ver-ry tight."

"I mean, only if you want."

"You are insufferable sometimes..." I lift one leg over the moped, trying not to huddle too close to Harry. Leaning around, I wave brightly to Chad, noticing my parents coming outside and down the steps. Like it's nothing to worry about. "Let's go, Harry."

And we speed off down the track, away from my new home and deeper into Auradon, hoping to find the king and save him from Mother Gothel before it's too late.

Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = Uh-oh. Spanner in the works there, right? How do you think our duo are going to get on- especially when they don't have the plan!