Chapter Fifty Four

A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to Disney!

Smh, guys can you believe we've got six chapters to go before this story's complete? I honestly can't believe it! Six chapters and then the Watch and Learn series is complete, which just seems incredible! Four years of working on six stories, and thank you all for being here throughout it all!

Now if anyone needs me, I'll be off getting What Else Can I Do out of my head (yep, I've seen Encanto!)

danifan3000: Oh I'm so glad you enjoyed it! :D

SnowWhite45: Oh I'm so glad! :D In the Villian's Guide for the New VKs, it mentions that the Smee twins were interested in the Auradon Debate team and the chess team :D

AmethystDragon14: Yay! Yep, they're engaged! I love writing Harriet/Sammy (who would have thought one of my favorite ships would have formed from mistaking a canon male character as a female one lol). Oh I think the Huma proposal's going to be sooner than you think! ;D

OceanBlueSeaEyes: Oh I'm so glad you're enjoying! Yeah, I wish they wouldn't end either but the sooner it ends, the sooner I can move to other stories!

Kaybugg1: Oh thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

twilightgirl587: I definitely agree with that, though I might be biased since Ariel's one of my favorite princesses. Change definitely sucks but at least some change is good. :D

Hope you all enjoy the chapter! Let me know what you think! :D

Audrey sighed softly as she admired her engagement ring. While some might have thought it a bad idea to wear something so nice to the Isle of the Lost, Audrey knew that the kids who relied on the soup kitchen for regular meals wouldn't risk getting banned by stealing her ring.

Not to mention she had earned their respect by telling Freddy off all those years ago. That'd been a turning point for Audrey in terms of how the VKs treated her.

"Hey Audrey," one of the regular VKs said with a smile as they got their food.

"Hey," Audrey said, smiling back at the girl. There weren't that many VKs now that Mal had cast that spell on the barrier to allow those who truly wanted to live in Auradon the chance to do so.

Sure there were some who were hesitant, after all the Isle was the only life they'd known and Auradon had been the enemy for so long. Hence why the soup kitchen was still open. No matter what, there would alway be aid provided to the VKs if they needed it.

The real question is how I'm going to be able to keep the soup kitchen going with all the wedding planning I've got going on, Audrey thought with a small sigh. Not to mention re-learning to be a Lady as opposed to being a Princess. The last thing I want to do is make things awkward with DJ and his friends.

Not that Liam made it awkward at all, in fact he readily embraced the fact that Audrey was engaged to Derek. He even went as far as to call dibs on being his Best Man. Not that Derek would consider anyone else for the role but Liam had said that he wanted to be sure, just in case there were any Rats Derek might be considering instead.

As for Audrey, well it had been awkward thinking of who would be a good fit for her Maid/Matron of Honor. With how she'd been, she didn't really have a lot of close female friends (and in all honesty she wasn't sure if any of her friends truly wanted to be in her wedding anyway). And yes, she might have been friends with Harriet but she wasn't sure if they were at Maid of Honor levels of friendship.

It had taken talking to Ben to clear up any doubts about the matter.

"Ben?"

"Yeah Audrey?" Ben asked, looking up from some of his paperwork. "What's up? Is there something wrong with the soup kitchen?"

Audrey shook her head before pausing. "Well no, I mean I do need to talk to you about the soup kitchen but that's not why I'm here. I…I was wondering if I could get some advice."

"About what?"

"My wedding."

Ben gave her a small smile before getting up and walking toward her. "I think your mom might be a better fit for this conversation Audie."

"First Phil, now you? Has Audrey suddenly become hard to say or something?" Audrey said with a small chuckle.

"Nah but if we're talking about your wedding, I thought it'd be better if I used your old nickname," Ben teased. "After all, you used to talk about how you wanted your wedding to look all the time when we were kids."

"You mean how Leah wanted my wedding to look," Audrey corrected with a small sigh. "After all, you know how she had it envisioned and how it's going to be differ wildly."

"Isn't that a good thing though? It's what you want, and what Derek wants too," Ben said with a small smile. "You only get one wedding after all."

Audrey returned the smile before letting out another small sigh. "I know. Which is what I wanted to talk to you about. I know traditionally I'd have a maid or matron of honor but…there's no one who's been there for me more than you, Ben. We've been friends since we were babies, you, me and Chad. But I'm not…with the hypnosis, Chad and my friendship's still a bit on the…iffy side. Would…would you…?"

"Be your man of honor?" Ben asked.

"If it's not too much to ask?" Audrey said, brushing the pink strand behind her ear.

Ben smiled. "Audie, I'd be honored. Like you said, you're one of my oldest friends—and I'm just happy we have that friendship again."

"I think not being royal anymore helps," Audrey told him. "Of course I'll get a title with my marriage to Derek since he's taken over as Captain of the Guard for his father. It won't be Princess but I don't need that as long as I'm with Derek. Er DJ I mean."

Of course, there were the negatives of being in Derek's life. All the other family members of the guards had felt no qualms in talking about her. Or more specifically her record, but also how she appeared like she was too good for them because she was hardly ever at Charmington functions.

Didn't they know how awkward it was, being at a Charmington function when Chad was still iffy with her as a friend? Besides, she had the soup kitchen she had to manage too and that was taking up more time than it used to.

"You said that you needed to talk to me about the soup kitchen?" Ben asked, simultaneously pulling Audrey out of her thoughts and making her think that he'd gained the ability to read them.

"It's fine Ben," Audrey said, shaking her head. One issue at a time—she'd gotten her man of honor, she could figure out how to manage her own time.

"Audrey?" Harriet asked, pulling Audrey out of her thoughts. "You okay?"

Audrey nodded. "I was just thinking."

"Must have been a pretty intense thought, you've been quiet for about half an hour," Harriet chuckled.

"I was thinking about my wedding," Audrey said, smiling slightly at the thought. "Though I'm sure you know how that is, being engaged yourself."

Harriet smiled. "Sammy and I are still working out the kinks in our plans. She's amazing, but she keeps asking if I want the Captain off the Isle for the wedding since her dad's off the Isle as well."

"Why do I have a feeling that's a big fat no?"

"You'd be right," Harriet sighed and shook her head. "But enough about me. What were you thinking about? Anything I can help with?"

Audrey shook her head and then paused. "Actually, Harriet, maybe there is something. Wedding planning has taken up more time than I thought it would, well mainly because I have to replan everything from how Leah wanted my wedding. You know she had binders dedicated to planning it?"

"Plans? With an 's'?"

"Yep," Audrey nodded, popping the p.

Harriet shook her head. "Well I know we're not to speak ill of the dead but I think Lord Hades will grant us an exception for this one. She was one horrid woman."

"You'll have no argument from me about that," Audrey sighed as she continued to dish food for the VKs. "Honestly there've been days that I wonder if mother was adopted rather than born to Leah. They're such opposites after all."

"Well it probably helped that your mother was raised by Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather instead of Leah," Harriet said. "Gods only know what your mother would have been like if Leah had been allowed to get her claws into her."

"She'd probably be like me," Audrey said. "Or at least the me I was before."

Harriet paused. "Oh yeah. That's a good point. But you're not like that now so there's no need to worry. Plus you're marrying a great guy who loves you. Honestly the way you described the proposal was probably the best way he could have proposed to you. It takes some of the sting from the viewing of the future that'll never be with Queen of Mean you using the cottage as her headquarters."

Huh…I never thought of it that way but Harriet's right, Audrey thought, smiling slightly. DJ's never even been to a viewing but I've told him all about them. Just in case the Blue Fairy randomly decides that it's been too long since a viewing and she pulls us into another one. I mean she's done it three times so far, who's to say she won't do it again?

She shook her head slightly as if to clear her thoughts. It wouldn't do to be distracted on the Isle, even if most of the kids were allies of her's. There was always the chance of someone sneaking up on her—though with Freddy dead and Zevon banned from the soup kitchen, such opportunities were few and far between.

"I'm going to check the roof," Harriet said a few hours later as they were closing up. "You gonna be okay here by yourself?"

Audrey nodded. "I'll be okay. Promise. Besides, you've left a radio down here for me to call for help if I need it."

Harriet smiled and made her way up to the roof. Audrey sighed as she started to wipe down the counter. With the reduced populace of the Isle, there wasn't much need for Captain Phoebus to stand guard in the soup kitchen. Plus most of the Rats had left the Isle anyway so Audrey's guard was truly reduced but she found she was fine with that.

As was stated, most kids aren't going to attack Audrey and risk being banned from the soup kitchen.

"Are you still open?"

Audrey looked up to see Yzla looking at her, much to Audrey's surprise. It wasn't as if Yzla wasn't allowed to come into the soup kitchen but the Casters opted for more of Frollo's cooking or trying out Shan Yu's restaurant ever since Zevon got banned.

"Yeah we are," Audrey nodded. "Just in time though since we were closing up. I'll get you some food."

Yzla nodded. "Appreciated Audrey. And I understand congratulations are in order on your upcoming nuptials?"

"Hmm, didn't think that would come from you considering I got your brother banned from here."

"My brother's an idiot, everyone knows that," Yzla said with a small shrug. "You don't bite the hand that feeds you or in his case, you don't bring a potion vial out when Freddy's already making everyone tense with a dagger in his hands."

Audrey snorted. "Yeah well at least we don't have to deal with Freddy anymore. Surprised you Casters didn't move to take Angel territory after his death."

"We did," Yzla smirked. "It's a lot easier to take territory now though with most of the Rats off the Isle."

"Ah," Audrey nodded as she dished the food. She wasn't sure what else there was to say other than that.

"So…I'm sure wedding planning has caused a lot of stress," Yzla said. "Especially having to come back here all the time."

"I mean all wedding planning is stressful," Audrey told her. "But I don't mind coming back here. I mean, the soup kitchen's practically my prized possession in a way, I'd be a fool to shut it down."

"What if you didn't have to?" Yzla asked.

"…I'm listening," Audrey said.

Yzla shook her head. "From what I understand, businesses across the bridge have owners and managers right? What if you had a manager who could handle the day to day and then you would only have to come over if it was an emergency?"

"But…who would be my manager…?"

"Well I mean, if you insist," Yzla said and Audrey stared at her in shock.

"You want to manage the soup kitchen?"

Yzla chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't turn anyone into a flea. But tell me that wouldn't be preferable. You getting to spend time with your future husband instead of lingering here among the great unwashed?"

"I like working in the soup kitchen Yzla," Audrey said, her voice growing slightly firm before pausing. "Though, you're right in that I wouldn't mind spending more time with my fiancé…"

"Exactly," Yzla said. "But how about this? I'm sure you'll need to think about it which is understandable. Take your time, talk it over with Mal and King Beastie Jr. and get back to me."

Audrey nodded. "That seems fair Yzla," she said as she handed the leader of the Casters her food. "I'll talk to you soon."

Yzla nodded and made her way out of the soup kitchen, quickly making her way back to the Spell Palace. She knew Zevon and Maddy would be in there, they'd likely be having the same talk they've been having since Quinn left.

Zevon wanted to get more members of the gang and recruit from the Witch School (which was its actual name, not just some nickname Freddy had given it way back when). While Maddy never wanted to have her cousins as fellow gang members.

"Oh will you stop your bickering?" Yzla said, tossing the food on the counter. "I got food."

"Took you long enough," Zevon scoffed as he went to get some.

"You know perfectly well that Maddy goes first," Yzla ordered. Truthfully, Maddy annoyed the hell out of her but for right now, she'd be on the other girl's side.

After all, there's a reason why I want control of the soup kitchen, Yzla thought as she stared at the slight curvature of Maddy's stomach. That's my niece or nephew in there and I'd be a fool to pass up complete control of knowing where our next meals were going to be. Sure Auradon provides some deliveries but as the number of VKs goes down, the soup kitchen might be the only guarantee of supplies.

And I'm not going to be third place again. Sure I might want to leave the Isle but if I've got a niece or nephew on the way, I'm going to make sure they're okay first. They're the heir to the Isle after all.