Author's Note: So this update came later than I said it would. Way later. I am sorry for that. Real life has kind of gotten in the way (Parent in hospital), so finding time (and sometimes motivation) to write isn't as easy as I'd like it to be. I'm still writing, in fact I'm still writing the next chapter to this story, but until a certain parent gets out of the hospital (which should be within the next month...hopefully), updates will be slow.
Please enjoy...
Valentine's Day - Part 1
"So we'll have the area lit by small luminaries spread throughout the setting and –" Ben began.
"The table by the pillars lit by candles, Your Majesty," Ben's assistant, Debra, finished for him. "The palace chefs are requesting a final approval of the menu you have planned as well," she added as she removed a sheet of paper from her padfolio and handed it to him.
"Menu?" they heard a voice say as it entered Ben's office. He and Debra looked toward the door and saw Belle walking in. Debra immediately stood and gave the Queen Mother a curtsy. She smiled at the young woman and motioned for her to retake her seat. Belle took the chair next to Debra and sat across from her son. "Am I to assume this has something to do with plans with Mal?"
"Valentine's Day is only a few days away and I'm just trying to finalize the plans I have for our date," Ben answered his mother.
"I'm sure that she'll appreciate whatever it is you're doing for her that night," Belle said as she leaned over and tried to spy what her son had planned by looking at the notes on Debra's tablet. Debra raised the tablet and looked over at the King, her eyes looking for reassurance. Bless that woman's heart, and her work ethic, Belle thought. Most people would've just let her look over what was being discussed out of deference to her being the former Queen. But Ben had personally chosen this girl after an exhaustive search for a new assistant. And apparently, Belle thought, she was chosen for her ability to not be intimidated by the presence of the King's parents.
Ben nodded to her with a small smile. Debra then handed the tablet over and Belle began reading over the checklist.
"I should inform you that the bridge isn't exactly conducive, or safe, in the low evening light for a woman wearing heels – assuming Mal will be wearing some," she told her son.
"I've already thought of that," Ben remarked with a bright knowing smile. "Fairy Godmother's going to enchant it with a spell that will make it a solid walkway until the morning that way Mal doesn't hurt herself."
"Her idea or yours?" Belle asked.
"Hers. I believe her exact words were, 'no daughter of mine is walking on that wobbly piece of wood and rope'," Ben revealed. The answer elicited a small giggle from Debra and small smile from Belle. Belle loved hearing Fairy Godmother refer to Mal as her daughter. Truth be told, due to all the time spent with her son, even Belle had moments where she treated Mal like a daughter.
"Well it seems like you have everything covered. Can I see the menu you're having prepared?" Belle asked him. He handed his mother the page Debra handed him just before she entered. Belle started looking over and noticed something.
"What do you think?" Ben asked hopefully.
"That unless you want this date to end in the hospital, you might want to rethink the dessert," Belle told him.
Ben looked at her confused as he took back the menu. His eyes scanned down to the dessert are and he looked at what the chef had put down as a suggestion. His eyes went wide and he let out a gasped, "Oh my god."
"Sire?" Debra asked, not knowing what knowledge was suddenly between the two royals.
"The chef has a layered pistachio cake on here for dessert," Ben answered her. Debra looked back, still confused. "Mal is allergic to pistachios," he said with tiny grin at the revelation.
"We figured that out the hard way on New Year's Eve," Belle told Ben's assistant as she remembered the fright that everyone at their party had when Mal started to cough non-stop before beginning to have trouble breathing and her throat began to swell. They'd rushed her to the hospital, not knowing what to tell the paramedic when they asked what happened. The worst thought she, Ben, and Adam had was that someone had tried to poison her, but they pushed those thoughts away. They'd rather believe that Mal had been accepted enough in Auradon that no one would try that.
They breathed a sigh of relief when the doctor treating her finally emerged, informing them that she was stable and in recovery. He also informed them that poisoning was not the issue, as Mal showed all the signs of having anaphylaxis – a severe allergic reaction to something that she probably ate. After a few questions to those who were immediately around her when the attack began, they tested her and discovered her allergy to the nut.
"I'll inform the chefs to change to a different dessert," Debra said taking the list back and making the notation.
"Something with strawberries, please," Ben added. "They're her favorite."
Debra nodded and then excused herself as the final preparations for the King's night out was her reason for being there. She felt it best to leave the King and his mother to talk.
"You don't think I'm not doing too much?" Ben asked his mother once they were alone.
Belle shook her head. "No, I think you're doing just enough. Then again, Mal would love anything as long it comes from you," she reminded her son.
"Thank's Mom."
"How much longer until we get where we're going? And why won't you tell me where we're going?" Chad asked Doug as he sat in the passenger seat of Doug's car. Doug had asked him to come out and help him with a project he needed to work on. Chad had initially refused, but then Doug promised to talk to Carlos about letting him use his 3D printer every now and then.
"We're almost there, so stop complaining," Doug told him, impatience at having to once again listen to Chad act like a kid on a long road trip. "And honestly, I didn't think you'd come if I told you where we were going."
Chad looked at Doug like he wanted to tell him to turn around. But after a few minutes, Chad saw in the distance where Doug was taking them.
"Is this a castle?" Chad asked as he got out of the car after Doug parked.
"Slightly smaller, but yeah," Doug nodded. "All the kingdoms have these small castles spread out over their territories. They're back from when a king need somewhere to use as a headquarters while fighting a battle or something. Now, they're mostly used by the royalty as places to stay when travelling. Snow White owns this one. She's letting me borrow it for a Valentine's Day dinner with Evie."
"You went to trouble of getting a castle for her for the night?" Doug nodded. "For Evie?"
Chad still found it hard to believe how practically in love with Evie, Doug actually was. Hell, the two of them together was still a bizarre sight for him. It didn't even have anything to do with the fact that she was from the Isle of the Lost and he was from Auradon. It was more the fact that – typically – girls that looked like Evie didn't usually go out with guys like Doug. Guys like himself, definitely, he thought as he remembered the way Evie practically threw herself at him when she first arrived.
But then again, he further mused, Doug was always more confident that most people. And in the case of Evie, that confidence had made him essentially swing for the fences. And, after Evie met his mother after the details of Family Day got back to her, Chad had to constantly hear about what a sweetheart his mother thought she was. How she was so nice, and polite, and smart, and beautiful, and how she was perfect Queen material. She'd never said it, but Chad knew that deep down inside of herself, that his mother often wished that he hadn't acted the way he did and screwed up any chance to get with Evie himself. At least that was the way his father put it when he told him that information.
"Like you've never done a big, grand gesture for a girl?" Doug countered.
"I've never splurged on a castle for date," Chad deadpanned.
"I didn't exactly splurge," Doug pointed out. "Snow wants Evie to have a nice first Valentine's Day here in Auradon, and just told me to use it. But I need help decorating it for that night. Which is why you're here."
Chad just looked at his friend in disbelief. That's why he said I wouldn't come along if I knew what he had planned, Chad thought. Without an answer, Chad pulled his phone from his pocket and began scrolling through the screen.
"What are you doing?"
"Calling my Dad to send a car to come and get me," Chad answered him. "Chad Charming doesn't do…decorating."
"Today you do, especially since you owe me," Doug said just as Chad was about to hit the speed dial for his Dad.
"Owe you?"
"When you lost your one of your many, many other phones, I hacked into it so just in case one of the fifteen girls you were seeing all at once found it, didn't see the text and pics to all the other ones. I'm the reason they didn't tear you limb from limb. So you owe me," Doug explained.
Chad looked at him like he was trying to figure a way out of the situation. But he kept coming up blank.
"Ugh, fine," Chad reluctantly relented.
Queen Aurora was sitting in her garden. Despite it still being February, it was warm enough that she could sit outside with just a light coat, but still cool enough that she knew she could spend the time alone without any of the staff coming to need something for a little while. She was listening to the birds in singing in the trees, her eyes closed to seal of any distractions to the sounds of the birds melodic tones. She didn't know how long she'd been listening when all of a sudden…
"Mom, can you help me with something?" she heard her daughter's voice.
Aurora opened her eyes and saw Audrey standing by the end of the garden bench she was sitting on. Audrey was bundled under a thick wool coat and matching scarf. On top of her head was a thick toque. Her hands were buried inside of the coat's pockets and she was shifting back and forth where she stood. She tried not to laugh at the sight. For all the grief she gave her boyfriend over Christmas about not wanting go out in the snow, this poor girl can't handle the cold any better, she thought.
"Of course, Sweetheart," Aurora told her, patting the bench right next to her. Audrey scrambled to sit next to her mother. She felt her mother wrap an arm around her and pull her close. Audrey snuggled up to her, feeling the warmth of her mother's body and trying to use it to warm herself up. "Something wrong?"
"No," Audrey answered, sounding unsure. "Well…not really."
"Sounds like something's wrong."
"Nothing's really wrong," Audrey repeated. "It's just that, Valentine's Day is coming."
"I know, I'm anxious to see what your father has planned."
"That's what bothering me," Audrey said.
"What your father has planned?" Aurora said in confusion.
"No," Audrey corrected quickly. "What I have planned. I want to surprise Jay, but everything I come up with just seems…too much."
"Too much?"
Audrey took a deep breath. "Jay isn't like the other boyfriends I've had."
"I know, that's why I like him," Aurora interrupted without thinking. Audrey raised her head and looked up her mother with without lifting her head. "What? Most of your other boyfriends were pompous little rats. Especially Chad. Honestly, my biggest fear was you two marrying, combining the kingdoms and him ending up King," Aurora said with a shiver.
"Does everyone had Chad?" Audrey asked.
"We're all hoping that this arrogant persona is just a fad and that he does what you've been spectacular at lately – growing up. Personally, I don't see that happening anytime soon."
Audrey smiled at the mention of her growing up. It was nice to know that her parents had noticed all the work she'd doing to not be the shallow, condescending girl she used to be.
"On that note…Jay doesn't have a lot of money. So while I love his gifts during times like this, I wanted to be the one to give something. But everything I come up with just seem to look like I'm flaunting how much money I have."
"Well, you can't hide the fact that you come from money, but you can adapt."
Once again, Audrey looked up her mother in confusion.
"Sweetie, it isn't uncommon for couples to do things that don't actually require money. I mean, Jay has to plan dates without a lot of it doesn't he?" Audrey nodded. "So maybe you need to stop asking yourself what you should do, and ask yourself what would Jay do."
"Remind me again why I'm the only looking for a dress?" Mal asked as she, Jane, and Evie were in a dress shop in Auradon. "And why can't you just make my dress, E?"
"Because you waited too long to ask me," Evie answered as she sat in the waiting area just outside the dressing rooms with Jane. "With all the other orders I've got, I'll never get a dress for you done in time."
"But I'll bet Jane gets a new dress?" Mal asked sarcastically.
"Actually no," Evie revealed with a confused look to the younger girl.
"What?!" Mal said as she opened the door to the dressing room and stood inside of it. Evie and Jane turned to look at her. She had on a light purple, off the shoulder skater dress with a sweetheart neckline that had both high waist and princess seams to show off Mal's curves. The waist flared out into a skater skirt that ended a few inches above mid-thigh.
"Oh my God, that dress looks so good on you," Evie raved as she looked at her purple-haired best friend.
"It does," Jane agreed. "Although, if Mom comes by to check on you before your date, she's gonna have an issue with how short it is."
Mal waved off the comment. "I'll spell it to be longer at the dorm and then put it back to normal on the drive to wherever Ben's taking me."
"But what about…," Jane started to say, only to be cut off.
"But nothing," Mal said. "What do you mean you're not getting a new dress? Don't you and Carlos have anything planned?"
Jane looked at the two older girls sheepishly as she shook her head.
"Really?" Evie asked, not believing Jane. "Carlos didn't come up with anything?"
"He tried – we both did," she told them. "But then he kept hearing from Ben and Doug what they had planned. And then Audrey told me what she's doing for Jay. And seeing you two getting so excited well….we couldn't come up with anything as big, or as good, so we figured, we shouldn't."
"Aw, Janey, we're sorry," Evie offered. "M, we totally need to do something for those two." Mal nodded.
"No; no you don't," Jane cut in. "Me and Carlos are perfectly fine with not going on some big, grand night out."
"But you two should do something," Mal said.
"And we are," Jane told her. "We're planning on just staying in and having a movie night."
Mal and Evie looked at each other. "We could come up with something pretty quick," Mal told Evie. Evie nodded.
"But you're not going to," Jane said emphatically. "Look, I get it – you want to help. But there's nothing to help. Me and Carlos are fine with just watching movies."
"But, J –," Mal started, only to silenced by Jane raising her finger and shushing her.
"Janey, we –," Evie tried to speak, only to get the same treatment.
"We're fine with movies. There will be no more talk about it. Now you," she pointed at Mal. "Go pay for your too short dress."