Disclaimer: I do not own Descendants or Disney.
Chapter 2: The Council of Sidekicks
Ben would never say that being King was easy. Often, it was a very hard and taxing job, filled with many long nights, especially when you were still considered a student. More often than not, he found himself with his face pressed on his desk, drooling over whatever royal decree he had been going over the night before. Sometimes he would find a nice warm cup of tea next to him that Mrs. Potts must have quietly left for him, a blanket draped over his shoulders. Sometimes Evie, who had taken over a corner of his office when she was helping him iron out legislation related to the Isle would tickle his nose with a feather until he got up and actually went to bed before it became too late. (At this point it might as well be her office too since she had basically made it her design-workspace-away-from-design-workspace and filled it with precariously placed pins, needles, and swatches of fabrics that Ben always had a bad habit of stepping on.)
Sometimes Mal would keep him company, curled up on his office's couch, silently trying to memorize all her new duties as his Lady of the Court, making notes in the margins of the agenda that Cogsworth had made for her. A wicked smile would play upon her lips as she crossed out something that Ben knew Cogsworth would make a fuss over later about her declining to go to. (Ben knew that the old man would whine and moan about proper etiquette but one did not grow up being partly raised by Lumiere and not pick up a tip or two on how to handle the tightly wound majordomo.) And then she would glance up at him, and her features would go soft with a little smile that said more than words could ever say to him. ("Ben, I love you. I have always loved you.") Needless to say, not much work would get done when he could cuddle up and just talk quietly throughout the night with the girl of his dreams in his arms…
Nonetheless, despite his lack of sleep and new dependence on coffee to get through the day, Ben never regretted being king...
"I'm sorry, your majesty, but isn't this a bit...fishy? No pun intended."
"Ursula's daughter as a member of your Royal Council? Are ya still under that love spell, kid?"
"Now everyone, I'm sure King Benjamin has thought about the consequences of working this with this girl. Isn't that right, dear?"
"DISHONOR! DISHONOR ON HER! DISHONOR ON HER...uh...HER SEA COW! Thanks Crikey for the save."
...Though days like today gave him doubts...
Urging himself to stay calm and collected, the young king looked around the room at the Council of Sidekicks.
Though often never given the credit that they were due, the Council of Sidekick was perhaps the most involved in negotiations and legislation that impacted all of Auradon. (Of course, there was the Council of Heroes but they hardly convened unless under the most serious of situations since most of the members needed to stay in their respective lands.) Since the council contained members of various species, it was not created in the typical boardroom style. In the middle of the room was a pool of water that connected to a series of tunnels leading out to the multiple bodies of water throughout Auradon. Currently in the pool were six of the seven princesses of Atlantica representing their father, King Triton. Queen Ariel's trusted companion Flounder was also there as his oldest friends representative. Next to him was a much younger mermaid, about Ben's age, raven hair pulled into a loose ponytail, aqua blue eyes, and salmon tail whose frown deepened as council members continued to make their opinions about Uma known. If Ben remembered correctly, she was Princess Melody, Queen Ariel's daughter who had recently been studying in Atlantica to learn more about her mother's heritage and was here today purely as a learning experience. Since her mother had once been tricked by Ursula, Ben wondered what she thought about all of this.
Behind the pool were stadium seating seats for all the human/humanoid sidekicks, with the oldest sidekicks sitting in the front (the Seven Dwarves; Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather; and Cinderella's three mice) and the newest ones in the back (such as Maui, though as a demi-god he way technically the oldest in the room in terms of age, a fact that he repeatedly reminded everyone of. Often. And loudly). Above the seats were tree branches that stretched across the ceiling from thick tree trunks that seemed to grow from the wall despite there not being any indication of them if one were to look out into the surrounding hallway. There, many of the bird or smaller animal sidekicks took their place.
And at the front of the room, facing the council was where the Ben sat. Lumiere and Cogsworth as royal advisors and representatives of King Adam and Queen Belle stood behind him and Evie and Carlos were there as well sitting behind the podium that Ben stood at. Evie was there as a representative of the new council for the Isle children (technically the only representative for right now) and Carlos was there...well, Ben wasn't sure why Carlos was there. Originally he had thought that Mal was going to join the meeting with Evie. However, before the meeting had started, Evie had sent him a text saying that she was bringing Carlos instead. Ben didn't mind the younger boy at all and actually enjoyed his presence a lot, however, Ben didn't think that Carlos would be interested in the politics of a council meeting and thought the boy would rather be working on some new tech. He trusted Evie's political insight though and didn't question her despite how pale and silent Carlos was.
Standing taller, Ben addressed the earlier comments. "I understand all of your hesitancies. However, as High King of Auradon, it is my duty to protect and care for all of those in our kingdom, including those who live on the Isle of the Lost. As I stated with my original decree, the children and descendants of the original inhabitants of the Isle should not be punished for things that they weren't even alive for."
"Haven't they proved that they can be just as conniving as their parents'?" Archimedes hooted through the magical communicators all the animal representatives used, wings spanning out and chest puffing in agitation. "Have we not forgotten what happened at the Royal Cotillion just a few weeks ago?"
A murmur of agreeing noises was heard from the members of the council that began to rise to the point where the words were indistinguishable. Ben sighed, trying to quiet the room but with no luck. A throat cleared behind him. He looked back to see Evie standing, her best smile lighting up her face, a calculating look in her eye.
"May I say something to the Council, King Ben?" she asked, gently pushing him out of the way before Ben could even answer her. Almost instantly, the room went silent as the lovely girl flashed them all a smile. (Ben really needed Evie to teach him that move.) "Honored members of the Council of Sidekick, as many of you already know," she said waving a little bit at Dopey who had been waving enthusiastically at his son's girlfriend, "I am Evie of the Isle, daughter of the Evil Queen, and amongst the first to be brought over from the Isle of the Lost thanks to King Ben's decree."
Evie was lovely and beautiful and a force to be reckoned with, especially when she flashed a smile. She commanded the entire Council's attention effortlessly. Evie truly was a princess in everything but the title.
"You know how Mal, Carlos, Jay, and myself all came to Auradon," Evie continued. "But, pun intended, I don't think you understand just how magical that was for us. For us," she waves towards herself and Carlos who looked way to preoccupied with staring at his hands, "it was a new chance at life. I know all of you already have your assumptions about villains such as our parents. Some of you have personal experiences with them, even. And in that regard, your feelings are legitimate. But none of you know the Isle. Not like us," she said smile fading. "I've asked Carlos to come here and share his experience growing up on the Isle with you all." She turned around and motioned towards Carlos who got up slowly. Eventually, Evie gently took his hand and guided him over to the podium. She took a step back, releasing his hand but keeping physical contact with him as she kept her hand reassuringly on his back.
Ben looked at Evie, hoping that her face would divulge what her plan was but instead, she, like everyone else in the room, had her eyes only on Carlos.
"Uh, I'm-," Carlos coughed nervously, hands shaking on the podium. "M-my name is Carlos de Vil. Son of Cruella de Vil. If the hair and color pattern didn't, you know, clue you in." He glanced back at Evie who was nodding, giving him an encouraging smile as she reassuringly rubbed his back. Carlos took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second before releasing his breath and looking back at the council. Ben watched as the young boy seemed to transform. Not with magic of course, but something inside of Carlos, a certain strength that could only be gained after overcoming something very difficult, when still overcoming something difficult. "Though Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and even Jafar may have been known as the most terrifying villains due to the magic that they wielded, living on the Isle you realize that magic isn't what makes someone wicked. As a parent, my mother may have been one of the wickedest villains on the Isle," the young boy said.
Carlos took another deep breath before continuing.
"From as long as I could remember, I slept in a closet. I didn't even have a blanket or pillow until I became friends with Evie maybe a year or so before we came to Auradon. I was given an endless list of chores to do and unfortunately," he chuckled humorlessly, holding the council with an intense but also faraway stare, "I didn't have mouse friends or a fairy godmother to help me. If I didn't do my chores exactly the way she wanted them done I wouldn't be given food, often I was beaten. Sometimes, she beat me even when I did everything exactly how she wanted. I can't even remember how many times I was beaten to unconsciousness."
From his spot, Ben saw how pale the mermaids, became, especially Princess Melody who looked like she wanted to reach out to the obviously still hurting boy. Pongo and Perdita who knew Cruella's cruelty well whined for Carlos, the thought of anyone doing what Cruella did to her own son to any of their pups unimaginable. Other members of the council shifted uncomfortably, repulsed by the extent of one person's cruelty.
"And those were the good days," Carlos continued. "For all intents and purposes, I wasn't her son. I was her slave. She took better care of her furs and her cars than she ever did with me. And when money was tight…When she didn't have enough booze to drown herself in... she made me...she made me do other things to get more money for her...Things that can never be taken back and that I will always remember... And of course, she never wasted a chance to call me useless and weak, to remind me that I was nothing and I would always be nothing. Now, I know that's not true but there are still days, still days where I'm afraid my family, my real family," she said taking Evie's hand again, "will get rid of me because my mother's voice is always in my head. Times where I can't really handle being hugged by others because the few times my mother did hug me, it was usually when she was planning something horrible for me. And you know what's the worst part of this?" he said voice breaking, clinging on to Evie's hands tightly. "None of you never really thought about this when you sent the villains like my mother to the Isle. None of you ever really considered that these people who were horrible to people they barely knew would be just as horrible, maybe even worst, to their own blood. And all the abuse that I just mentioned that you all seem so shocked about, isn't even the tip of the iceberg of what Cruella did to me and I'm not the only one who went through that on that island. You all automatically assume we're just as bad as our parents but many of us, many of us are just as much victims of their wickedness as you once were and just trying to survive the only way we can."
Ben shook, wanting roar. Wanting to punch something. Wanting to punch his father for not allowing something to be done for the Isle until now. He wanted to weep, to cry for Carlos. To hold the boy and never let anything happen to him. He wanted to do the same thing for Evie. For Jay. He wanted Mal to never doubt him and know the full extent of his love. The intensity of his thoughts must have peaked a bit through his usually calm features since he was pulled from them when he felt Evie's other hand give his hand an anchoring squeeze. He gave her a slight nod in thanks before returning his attention back to Carlos.
"Evie asked me to come here today to share my experience with you on the Isle to help you better understand the necessity of allowing the kids there an invitation to Auradon. I know the decree has already been made and the reason we're all here today is because of the terms of negotiations that Uma, daughter of Ursula, has made. I was never really friends with her and I'm sure that if she had gone to Dragon Hall and not Serpent Prep, she would have been just like every other kid there who bullied me. But...but Ben...Ben is my friend and he believes in her," he looked back at Ben with a weak grin and the young King felt his heart both warm and break at this admittance (he didn't feel like he would ever truly deserve the honor). "Ben was the one who helped me get over my fear of dogs," Carlos continued turning back to his larger audience, "and Ben was also the one who without hesitation went to the Isle of the Lost himself to bring back one of my best friends...my sister...so, if Ben wants to work with Uma, a girl who undoubtedly had a similar childhood as mine but who honestly just wants the best for the innocents of the Isle, then I stand by the King and I hope you all will consider standing by his decision as well and giving us our happily ever afters. Uh...that's all...thank you?" And with that, Carlos turned around and sat back in his chair, a blank expressionless look on his face.
Giving Ben a meaningful look, Evie sat down as well, immediately wrapping Carlos in her arms. It took a few seconds but Carlos let out a shuddering breath before embracing Evie back, hiding his face in her neck, letting himself be soothed by the words she whispered in his ear.
Ben's cleared his throat, calling attention back to him and away from the younger boy as he looked solemnly at the members of his council, many of whom had tears in their eyes. "Members of the Council," he said. "When my father sent the villains to the Isle of the Lost it was supposed to be a temporary solution. Twenty years have passed and we have grown complacent. Now we're faced with a new generation, descendants of villains who are only on the island because they had the misfortune of being born there. We have already seen the great strides that the first set of Descendants who were brought from the Isle to Auradon have made. They proved that evil is a choice, not a genetic trait. However, we brought them here without knowing much about where they came from and what they truly needed. Evie, as my Royal Councilor, will be able to provide some much needed insight and changes in regards to the current curriculum for the Isle students once they have arrived at Auradon Prep. However, Uma is the one who has their loyalty. If we want any transition to go smoothly we have to make sure that we have leaders amongst them who will align with us. We need to work to build trust on things that are greater than just the old labels of Good vs. Evil or Heroes vs. Villains."
Giving a soft smile, Ben began to remember the stories that his mother used to tell him about how she met his father. "My father, at one point was once viewed as a monster. Something not be trusted. And look how far he's come, once he was given a chance and someone to believe in him. Uma just needs a chance."
Doc, as Council Head, stood up. "All those in favor of the High King's decision in regards to the Isle negotiations with Ms. Uma of the Isle, Daughter of Ursula, and Captain of the Lost Revenge, say aye."
-WLTF-
"Hey," Ben kneeled in front of Carlos, resting a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Thank you for sharing. I know it wasn't easy."
Carlos looked at him, chuckling tiredly before shrugging his shoulder as he still leaned into Evie's protective embrace. "You and Evie are the nicest people I know," he said simply. Ben swallowed, holding back the lump in his throat.
"And you're the bravest," Evie smiled pressing her lips gently to Carlos's forehead, as he slowly pulled away from her. He blushed, smiling awkwardly before muttering something about needing to go walk Dude before waving goodbye and leaving Evie and Ben alone in the empty Council Room. Ben made a mental note to check up on the boy later.
Ben got up and sat next to Evie. The two were quiet for awhile, soaking in the success of getting a majority council vote.
"That was clever thinking," Ben finally commented breaking the silence.
Evie nodded, smoothing out the skirt of her dress. "It was and though I would love to take your praise, your majesty, you really have Mal to thank," she said surprising Ben. "Carlos may have did this for us but Mal was the one who gave him the extra push."
"Mal did that? Wow." Ben grinned with a dazed look that was reserved for only when he was thinking about his girlfriend.
"Mm hm," Evie said holding back a chuckle. "Many of the people on the Council have children of their own. She knew that if anyone could, Carlos could get people to sympathize. He was always too...good for the island. Much too good for Cruella..." she said with a dark look on her face and for a moment, Ben remembered that Carlos wasn't the only one who was neglected and abused on the island. Maybe Evie didn't have the same visible physical scars that he caught glimpses of on Carlos and Jay in the Tourney locker room, but he knew she had scars of her own. Not for the first time, Ben marveled at Mal's, Evie's, Carlos's, and Jay's strength in making their own paths.
"Evie," he said taking her hand that was currently wrinkling her skirt with its tight grip, waiting as she slowly let out a breath before looking back at him. "Thank you."
Oh. My. Goodness. I'm shocked and humbled by all the positive responses that the first chapter got. I haven't really done fanfiction in a still very active fandom in awhile so I was not expecting more than 1 or 2 comments, so thank you!
Originally this chapter was supposed to take place a few days with Uma and her crew with Ben being able to meet her negotiations for the Isle but I wanted to focus a bit more on what was happening on Auradon after the events of the last chapter. Originally Mal was supposed to be at the council meeting but Carlos always came off as the more compelling VK to me. I was kind of disappointed with his story line in the movie (give me more Cameron Boyce please!) though the hug that he had with Jane in the second movie almost broke my heart so when I was writing this chapter I instantly knew he had to be there, maybe even more than Evie.
Also, people do know Princess Melody right? I'm not showing my age and the fact that I grew up in the age of the VHS by adding her right? I haven't decided how big of a role she'll have in the story yet but you'll definitely see her again.
Another also: unless otherwise stated, the couples in canon will remain so in the story. However, I will go down with the overprotective good friend Ben ship! I personally just hate it when a character is dating someone and despite being in close proximity to that person's friends, they act like strangers. So even though Ben and Mal are dating, you'll definitely see Ben hanging out with the others, sometimes alone, sometimes all together.
Anyway, thank you all for all again for the comments, bookmarks, subscriptions, and hits! I truly appreciate them and I hope you all continue to stick with this story. Thank you!