For Cameron, Who made every moment count. Everything you are. . . every smile. . . every laugh. . . every dance. . . every hug. . . every moment. . . you mean everything to us.
Descendants 3
Chapter 47
Uma and Camilla had made it to the Broken Bridge just as the Isle kids were saying goodbye to Mal and the others, there were so many people in the crowd that they two girls snuck by unnoticed. Camilla caught a brief glance of her brother among the crowd smiling but there was something in his eyes like his thoughts were somewhere else. She didn't have time to think about it as she helped Uma sneak to the barrier behind the crowd and wait for it to drop. There was a set of rickety old wooden steps that led under the Broken Bridge to the water, there were black sharp rocks nearby that if your foot touched you'd slide and fall right into the sea. The girls were perfectly hidden as they heard the car doors of Mal's purple limo open and close as the four got ready to leave and the moment the golden barrier opened Uma took her chance. She leapt off the steps and dove perfectly into the sea. There was a small bit of mist across the surface of the water as Camilla saw the small golden glow of Uma's shell necklace as she used its magic to transform underwater. Camilla saw one teal tentacle pop out of the water and waved goodbye to her just before the barrier closed with Uma on the other side of it.
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
When Camilla returned to the Lost Revenge she was greeted by Harry and Gil who were chatting about messing with Jay and Carlos. Harry was saying how he had gone looking for Freddie Facilier afterward hoping she could give him a tarot reading. He'd been hoping for some help on what to do the next time Carlos came to the Isle, he wanted revenge but at the same time didn't want to do anything that would upset Camilla. He'd been hoping the fortune teller would give him some answers but when he tried to threaten her to get his way she only rolled her eyes and refused to give him anything without payment. When he'd switched tactics and tried flirting that hadn't worked either. "There's no need to be rash, we can discuss this." He'd said giving her his most dashingly wicked smile but again he only got a scoff before Freddie said, "Your pretty face buys you a lot, but not my time." she'd snapped before she'd locked herself in the back room of her father's shop and he had to leave empty handed. But when Harry saw Camilla board the ship his sour mood changed, he scooped her up in his arms and spun her around catching her off guard but she enjoyed the moment anyway.
"Ah, this is more fun than I've had in a long while!" Harry said cheerfully remembering the broken look on Carlos' face and deciding to chalk that up as today's victory. He put Camilla down but kept his arm wrapped around her.
"Hey, where's Uma?" Gil asked looking around and noticing their captain wasn't back yet.
"Not here." Camilla answered, both boys turning to her confused though Harry looked a bit concerned.
"It's okay." Camilla assured him, "She got off the Isle, she's going to try and find a way to break the barrier from the outside so we can get off this prison."
"Did she say why?" Harry asked knowing this hadn't been part of any of their plans. Everything they did they did as a team and as much as Uma wanted to get off the Isle she wouldn't have done so behind their backs unless something had happened that made it absolutely necessary.
Camilla paused, she didn't want to tell them about her suspicions about what she and Uma had seen in the vision and worry them more, she knew they'd be on edge enough until Uma returned. "She said if she can get everyone off the Isle before Mal can then we can keep our power and ruin Mal's plans all at once."
Her response seemed to cheer them both up as they smiled wickedly and she tried to do the same pushing her worries aside.
"Yeah and we won't have dumb applications." Gil said smiling, "We can take everyone!"
"Even Harriet and CJ filled one out." Harry said, "I can't blame 'em, they're hoping that they can ditch Auradon Prep and head straight for Pan's Island and get revenge for Da."
"And while Uma's gone you're in charge." Camilla reminded Harry, "The crew will be looking to you for orders. . . Captain Hook."
He smirked at being captain like his father and Camilla wrapped her arm around him giving him a half hug while hiding her face in his shoulder. She hoped Uma would find a hole in the barrier or a way to break it soon, if the safety of the Isle was at risk she wanted off this rock as soon as possible.
- - ROTTEN TO THE CORE - -
"Attention Isle of the Lost! VK Day is here!" the speakers shouted all around the Isle a week later. Auradon of course had brought cameras to broadcast the choosing ceremony that was taking place just inside the barrier at the Broken Bridge. Camilla sat in the Fish and Chip shop with Harry and Gil as they watched the event on the television and picked at the food in front of them. Camilla sat next to Harry leaning back into his chest with his arm wrapped around her while she rested her feet up on the table. Gil was on the other side of Harry swallowing eggs.
"I'm so glad this day has finally arrived!" Evie shouted from a balcony down to the crowd below.
"Who wants to go?" Mal was asking the excited crowd, "You?"
"Yes pick me Mal! Pick me!" they all cried as Mal and Evie took the chosen applications from their coat pockets.
"I honestly wish we could take you all with us." Evie began, then why don't you? Camilla thought bitterly, "And someday very soon, maybe we can."
"Yeah, we're going to be back here so many times you're going to be sick of us." Mal said.
"Too late." Harry muttered picking chips from the tray in front of them as they snacked.
"Can I get a drumroll, please?" Evie called and the VK's all stomped their feet. "First I would like to begin, with the granddaughter of Lady Tremaine, daughter of Drizella, my sweet, sweet friend, my Dizzy."
The girl squealed and rushed up the steps to the platform where Evie and Mal stood, then the cameraman panned to Carlos and Camilla wondered who he would pick. She wasn't sure if her cousin Diego had filled out an application, or if he had any interest in going to Auradon, but if he had she would find out by who Carlos called next.
"Next, son of Smee. Come on Squeaky!" Carlos called and shortly after Jay called his twin Squirmy.
"Ohhhh, CJ's not going to like this." Gil said. They all knew CJ was closest with the twins since Smee ran the Inlet shop after Hook had died. CJ was often there with the twins keeping everything in ship shape. They knew she viewed the twins as the start of her own crew and now Mal and her gang had taken that from her too. Camilla saw Harry's fist clench and she rested her hand over his trying to calm him. Uma would not like it if she came back and Harry had trashed her mom's place because Ursula would make Uma clean it all up.
"And last but certainly not least. We all picked this girl because we all agreed that she could use a little bit of Fairy Godmother's goodness class." Mal continued and Camilla let out a sound of disgust remembering those awful classes.
"That can't be a real class." Harry said then turned to Camilla and saw the look on her face, "Are yeh serious?"
"Harry, it's one of the worst tortures there is. And I would know, I was under a sleeping curse!"
"Give it on up for Dr. Facilier's daughter Celia!" Mal shouted on the screen. Celia joined them on the platform where everyone cheered for them.
"We'll be back for you guys next week okay?" Carlos told them.
"Yeah so pack your stuff. Your own stuff." Jay added.
"Where are we going?" Mal and Evie asked.
"We're going to Auradon!" they cheered and Harry threw what was left of his fish patty at the screen.
- ROTTEN TO THE CORE -
A Week Later. . .
Mal was on the balcony of Ben's castle looking out at the ocean watching for any sign of Uma. She hadn't seen her since the Cotillion and had no way of knowing if she'd swam back to the Isle or if she was still lurking around. She knew Ben and the others were worried for her, thinking she was getting paranoid. But she had run with Uma once, she knew how she thought and there was a churning in her gut that told her sooner or later she'd reappear and when she did Mal wanted to be ready. Then she felt a pair of arms snake around her from behind as Ben hugged her and she laughed, then she looked back out at the sea.
"Not a tentacle in sight."
"I think if Uma was up to something, we'd know by now."
"No Ben, I know how villains think and I don't trust Uma as far as I can throw her. She's going to wait until our defenses are down and then that's when she's going to strike." She said picking up the binoculars again, "I really wish I had time to go do a dragon flyover because I can go so much higher."
"Mal, it's not even eight o'clock." Ben said leaning on the rail, "And you're already worrying over Uma."
Then there was a loud BANG as a very familiar canon went off and the castle shook slightly. In the background they could hear servants rushing around to catch paintings that had fallen from the walls and vases that had been knocked off their stands as they did each morning. Ben stumbled a bit from the shaking grabbing the rail tight for support but Mal stayed perfectly upright without even trying.
"No, now it's eight o'clock." Mal said.
"Nice boom there Admiral!" Ben called out across Auradon to where the eccentric Admiral and his first mate lived on Cherry Tree Lane.
"Thank you your highness!" came a shout in reply though it sounded far away, "Beautiful morning! No one should sleep in and miss it! I gave it a double charge of powder!"
Ben chuckled and turned back to Mal but his smile fell when he saw her looking out of the binoculars again.
"Hey, I got your back." Ben said taking the binoculars from her hands and gesturing to the guards who were standing on the roof looking out at sea like she had been. "Now come on everyone's waiting for us."
"Wait. You're getting more guards?"
"I'm getting more guards." He reassured her, "Now breathe."
"Okay."
Camilla POV
She was going to make whoever had turned on the television in the chip shop walk the plank when she found out who was behind it because now they were stuck watching another thing about Mal.
"Bibbidi Bobbiti one two one two can everyone hear me?" Fairy Godmother was saying into a microphone as Mal and Ben stood on a platform behind her. Camilla's nose scrunched when she saw what Mal was wearing, how could Evie let her out dressed like that? Ugh.
"Thank you Fairy Godmother. What's up Auradon!" Ben said into the mic, "Thank you, thank you so much for coming out to welcome our new arrivals, they'll be here soon. It worked out pretty well for the first four –"
"Yeah, especially for you!" she saw Chad Charming call and couldn't help but smirk. Was that Audrey standing in front of him? Blonde? Huh.
"Mal this is the exact spot we first met not so long ago. I feel like I've known you my whole life. But did I mention I'm in love with you?" he asked as he started to sing the same thing he'd sang to her back when he was spelled to love her. Then she saw Ben get down on one knee in front of Mal and she fell back into a pole knocking over the 'Exact Plunder Only' sign. The chip shop went silent, except for one customer who dropped their glass as they watched Mal accept Ben's proposal meaning soon she'd officially be Queen of Auradon. Camilla grit her teeth but her anger didn't stay long when she saw her brother chest bump the former King Beast then rush to apologize. But soon the lovey dovey cheering was too much for her and she left the shop and headed back to the Lost Revenge.
She found Harry at the helm while Gil was scaling the rigging, in no time the rest of the crew gathered below deck to question Harry on their next move.
"They're picking up their kids today!" Bonnie shouted.
"We should charge in and slash the tires on that fancy limo!" Starkey shouted holding up his sword.
"Or knock out some of the guards and take their uniforms! Sneak into Auradon under their noses!" Jukes cried.
"Enough!" Harry shouted leaning over the rail by the wheel. "Uma is out there and she has her own plans. I have faith in our captain and I won't order anything that might throw off her schemes. If yeh want to go cause some mischief then ye all can go loot and steal from those below us, for a pirate's vessel is nothing if she's not carrying treasure! Aye?"
"AYE!" The crew shouted and they all ran back to the docks as Camilla climbed the steps and joined Harry.
"Sometimes I despise everyone of them." Harry complained to her as she smirked.
"Well Uma did say a pirates crew is their family, and even family gets under your skin." She said stroking his arm and watched him relax.
"I wish she was back." He admitted and Camilla followed his gaze to the sea.
"Me too." She agreed.
"Come on." Harry said shaking off his deeper thoughts, "Let's go get a drink at the shop."
"I was just there I doubt there's any left." She said remembering the crowd.
Harry groaned, "Ugh, why is it the rum is always gone?"
"Maybe the crew will steal a fresh barrel for you."
When they made it to the shop the TV was still on and it was showing the purple limo pulling out of the barrier with the four new VK's who were going to Auradon. The long car pulled out and the golden shimmer began to close again. Camilla scoffed, all those VK's waving to Mal and her gang, why were none of them trying to get out themselves? Ugh, Mal had ruined everyone on the Isle and she was barely ever here!
Then someone did charge through with the intention of getting themselves out but it was someone that made Camilla jump back in fear even if it was only his image on screen. Hades, the lord of the Underworld sprinted for the barrier pushing his way through the crowd who parted once they realized he was there. He got to the barrier just in time to punch his fist through it and clutched in his hand was some sort of shining blue gem. It glowed once it was on the other side of the barrier and seemed to give Hades the strength to pull open the golden magic enough to get his head through.
"I am a GOD!" he shouted in rage making his hair go up in flames. "I don't belong here!"
The limo had stopped and the four VK's and Ben all got out. Hades quickly used his gem to knock Carlos, Jay and Ben back to the ground as Mal's eyes glowed green and she was consumed in purple smoke. Then a dragon emerged and rose into the sky giving a mighty roar. Hades turned his gem's power on Mal and knocked her back in the sky. She looked like she was struggling as she tried to muster up a blast of fire to stop Hades. All she was able to get was a strong wind that knocked him back and made him tumble along the ground as the barrier sealed shut again. The dragon landed on the car and transformed back into Mal who looked weakened and frightened as they got her back into the limo and drove off to Auradon as Hades stomped back through the crowd who ran from him as he entered the shadows going back to wherever his lair was.
"We need to get off the Isle." Harry said quietly and Camilla turned and saw him looking at the screen, his eyeliner making his eyes look wider.
"You said. . . "She swallowed nervously, "After you saved me from the sleeping curse, you said the villains were all hiding from something. What if this was it? What if it was Hades rage that was boiling over they could feel?"
Harry looked to the ground and put his arm around her, "No one knows what Hades will do if he gets mad enough." He said his face still looking at the ground but his eyes going back up to the screen seeing the Auradon limo flee, "Uma better come back quick, or there may not be anyone to save from this rock."