Mal was already bored. She had risen promptly to see the sun rise, heaven knew why, and had re-read the lore book she'd stolen from her mother. She knew the prince was busy. She wanted to avoid Mrs. Potts. The woman was uncanny and it frightened Mal. The woman could discover her mission and then everything would be over.

She briefly remembered the princess with blue-black hair at the welcoming feast. Princess Evangeline said she wanted to see her again. Why shouldn't Mal oblige? Smirking, Mal threw off the white night shift and tugged over her head a white blouse and blue dress over it. She ran a quick comb through her hair and glanced at herself in the mirror. She had to look somewhat neat, unfortunately. To her disgust, she realized she looked like a younger Queen Belle. She sighed, thinking it could not be helped and she'd take whatever clothes she could, and laced up her ankle boots. She then headed out into the corridors.

It was large and grand, mostly in the Baroque style, as Princess Talia had snootily informed her over the feast. Mal had to admit it looked good. . . For a den of light. She hurried to the guest wing. For some reason, she had been stashed in a tower close to the royal family. Fools, Mal thought, smirking widely.

The walk included a brief outdoor passage. She couldn't help but look down at the ground and feel a surge jealousy. She would never get to fly, like her mother. She, like her father whenever he wasn't a raven, was constrained to the ground. Maleficent had always told her that she was better off having her feet on the ground and her head away from the clouds. She forced herself to look up instead. She could not afford to fail her master with thoughts such as these.

It was difficult, navigating the guest wing. The only sense she could make to the order was that those who had arrived from the same kingdom had rooms right near each other. For instance, the Grand Vizier in-training, Jadon, was next to Prince Aziz's room as well as the ambassador Schezeraide.

Still, Mal was eventually able to find the Princess's room and knocked.

Immediately the door was flung open and Princess Evangeline snatched Mal's wrist and half-dragged the fairy into her chambers, then slammed the door behind the two of them. She turned and looked to Mal, an incandescent smile on her face.

"You use magic!" she cried. "I've been waiting for someone else who uses magic! Come on!"

"What? What's going on?" Mal asked.

"I'd like a teacher." Evangeline said. "Or even someone to just talk about magic with."

"I see," Mal murmured. She sat down on one of the cushy chairs. "I'm not sure I'll be around long enough to teach you."

"Could you at least teach me a decent hair charm?" Evangeline begged. "I need to look my best for the gala."

"I can," Mal ventured cautiously. "But why would the next Fairest need to be prettied up for some prince's gala."

"You're kidding, right?" Evangeline demanded, looking horrified. "This isn't just any gala Mal! This is the biggest gathering of royals in sixteen years! People from all around the realm have come to see Prince Benoit and his debut! Princes and princesses of all sorts will be in that gala. And I have my sights on a prince."

There was fire in those perfect dark eyes. She had the same determination and ambition that Mal saw within herself. She liked seeing it in some princess that was decidedly not prissy or pink.

"Any specific prince?" Mal asked.

"Oh, any will do!" Evangeline giggled. That spark was gone. Evangeline looked just like the traditional storybook princess. All smiles and sunshine with none of the interesting parts. It made Mal feel almost sad for Evangeline, that a princess with such fire would spend her entire life maybe trying to hide it for the sake of the ideal maiden.

"I've got a few," Mal said.

Ben and Guinevere were sampling the treats that the Chef had considered safe to reveal when Lumiere, looking most annoyed and distressed, approached.

"Princess Talia of the Feyrelands wishes to speak with you," Lumiere said.

"I'll get it," Ben said, dumpling his sister's auburn curls.

She grinned and smoothed her hair. Ben forced a smile on his face. From Lumiere's expression, he could tell that whatever Talia had come to him for, it was not good. Not at all. He knew just how to handle the princess's moods. They were as different as sun and moon. He was one of the few that had seen her sing with birds and smile at the summer sunshine. But he knew all too well her cold, moody side. One that seemed to have taken hold as they grew older.

He exited the kitchen and entered one of the sitting rooms nearby. There, perched neatly and prettily was a beautifully angry Talia.

"Princess, is there something wrong?" he asked.

She rose to her feet, her violet eyes as cold as ice. "Why did you invite that fairy as your special guest? You don't even know her, do you?"

Ben blinked. "I rescued her yesterday. I thought she-"

"You and I both know the likelihood of an engagement," she hissed. "So why does she get special treatment?"

"Aren't you familiar with Dauphin's history?" Ben asked, spreading his arms wide to indicate the castle. "My father was cursed by a fairy. We will not disrespect any guests ever again."

"What, one little fairy, and suddenly we're all scared?" Talia cried. "If there's anything that I have learned from my mother is that all fairies are really are little harmless pixies."

"Unless they're Maleficent?" Ben asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, her." Talia rolled her eyes. "It will not happen again, right?"

"If it will make you happy, princess." He kissed her hand. "I have other matters to attend to."

"Thanks," Evangeline said, stroking her midnight blue hair. "It's so lush!"

She looked at Mal via the reflection in her vanity. "I've never had a friend like you before."

"I wouldn't really call us friends yet-"

"Then you are a friend I haven't truly met yet," Evangeline said stubbornly.

"Do you really think all the world is full of is friendship?" Mal scoffed.

"Yes," Evangeline said. "Those who matter will be my friends. Those who don't won't."

"That's really optimistic," Mal said. Yet her dark heart was touched by the princess's happiness. A part of her longed to be that way. But she was evil now, and as far as she knew nothing could change that.

Before either girl could say anything else, there was a knock on the door. Mal rose to answer it. The door swung open to reveal Prince Ben.

"Your Majesty," Evangeline cried, and she curtsied elegantly. Mal just bobbed. She'd never really been the sort of fairy that liked all the court rituals. Even her mother tolerated them, mostly because she benefitted well from the, and enjoyed drama more than she liked to admit.

"I was wondering if you ladies would like to be invited to tea with the queen and I?" he asked. His steely blue eyes were focused on Mal. Evangeline caught this, and gave a sunshiny smile.

"I'm afraid I need to study," she said. "Mama said I'm dreadfully behind and only let me come on the condition that I studied. But Mal can go!"

She gently pushed Mal forward towards Ben.

He grinned brilliantly, and Mal had to admit that part of her felt a strange gravity, an attraction between them. He offered his arm, and she accepted.