Chapter 15: Of Councils and Queens

He felt like shit, and it wasn't just because he had gone through a hell of practice before the rest of the team packed up to leave for the big game in Agrabah. (There was a pain of regret and something else about not being able to see the land of his heritage yet, but it wasn't home. Home was wherever a princess, a dragon, and a pup were.)

"Yeah, you don't look so good," Lonnie confirmed leaning against the locker neighboring his. (Fuck, he had said the part about feeling like shit out loud, hadn't he? Damn it, Lonnie was sure to mock him mercilessly now.)

Jay's features easily slid into a grin, looking up at the Sword and Shield captain from his place on the locker room bench.

"Y'know, you're team captain and everything, but this is still the boy's locker room."

Lonnie rolled her eyes. "Not like there's anything to see in here anyway," she said confidently, not even a hint of a blush on her cheeks. (Jay always appreciated that about her.) "Besides, you're the only one left in here. And stop avoiding the issue at hand or I'll make you run double laps next practice," she demanded, sitting down next to him and bumping her shoulder against his in a friendly manner.

A well-crafted lie was instinctively at the tip of his tongue, charming words that would weave themselves together in a way that would turn most girls into blushing messes but Lonnie's ever unimpressed expression immediately put an end to it.

Dammit, he thought with a sigh. Why was he surrounded by super scary girls?

"I'm afraid," he admitted, finally realizing what the tight feeling - like a rope chafing around his throat - was that he had felt for the past few days.

Jay was afraid.

Fucking forty thieves.

So that's what fear felt like. Huh, he thought. He didn't like it at all.

Lonnie put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Half the battle is admitting that," she murmured, giving his shoulder a slight squeeze. "Do you want to talk about it?"

(Yes.)

"Nah," he plastered on a grin again. "I'm good. Just nerves, y'know? With Uma and Harry around things have just been hitting the fan and you know how Mal gets. All pouty and dragon smokey," he laughed shrugging Lonnie's hand off, masking the way he instantly missed the small comfort.

Lonnie didn't look convinced but she didn't press him, knowing that some walls were still difficult for Isle kids to let down, even amongst friends. (Again, another example of why Jay appreciated Lonnie and didn't hesitate to step down so she could be captain.)

"Fine. But you know where to find me. You know," she yanked off his hat briefly to ruffle his hair, "if you need to blow off steam, I could do you a favor and kick your ass in another duel."

"Ha!" Jay smirked, this time genuinely, shrugging his bag onto his shoulder as he walked towards the doors of the locker room. "You say that like it's a given."

He could hear the accompanying roll of her eyes in her voice as she said, "Whatever. Say bye to the others for me and let Carlos know that if he skips another practice I'll make Chad his practice partner for the rest of the year!"

Jay waved his hand over his shoulder in acknowledgement as he left, grin slipping momentarily off his face as he walked down the halls from the gym back in the direction of the dorms.

With each step his body grew tense, hands shoved in his pockets to hide the way they were clenched tightly and to also stop certain thieving urges.

There were certain habits that no amount of time in Auradon would ever get rid of.

Jay passed by a group of girls, all three instantly seeming to preen themselves when they noticed his presence. He smiled at them, giving them a flirty wink, eyes intentionally not looking at the bracelet decorated with little jewels on one of their wrists.

On the Isle, those same jewels would have given him dinner for a week and a half or... a delighted squeal from Evie; a grateful peck on the cheek that would keep him warmer than any bland stew ever would.

Jay continued walking, passing some young lord of some far-off place that he didn't care to remember, who was tapping relentlessly on his cell phone, the newest version available. It was second nature to wonder about how much the parts would have gotten him while haggling with the Isle's goblins.

It would have earned him either a few days without being beaten by his father or earned him an incoherent babble of tech geek speak that meant nothing to him but everything to an excited Carlos, whose excitement about getting his hands on such a high-tech device would fill Jay with pride as he watched the younger boy build and create.

He glared at Chad, the blonde boy scurrying his way to his room like the mice in his mother's story under the dark look. (Lonnie had made sure to make the vapid prince run extra sprints for how he had made Dizzy cry the other day.)

On the Isle, Jay would have shoved and pushed the boy down to the ground just for the heck of it, because Chad was a self-absorbed brat and had nothing substantial to back up all the confidence he boasted about.

(Seeing Mal's approving wicked grin would have been a nice bonus though).

Thinking about his oldest friend, Jay's mind screeched from the bleak but not all bad memories of his past and into the present as he opened his dorm door, already knowing what lay behind it.

Still, when his assumption was proven correct, Jay couldn't help but to let out a slight groan.

(He was so not looking forward to the unavoidable conversation.)

She was family. He loved her. He had gone back to the Isle for her and would always fight for her, but enough was enough.

"I see you're still holding hostage my bed," Jay teased, dropping his bag off near the door, before plopping down at his desk chair and letting himself have a few spins before stopping to face her again. "No, don't get up," he muttered, frown deep-set into his usually carefree features as the half-fae that sat across from him merely raised a questioning eyebrow. "After all, the bed is too comfortable after spending seventeen years sleeping on the floor with the threat of a shelf of TV's falling on my head. Who needs good back support? Not me, that's for damn sure."

Mal rolled her eyes. "Someone has a lamp shoved up their ass," she muttered, going back to the design she was drawing in her sketchbook, only giving a brief glance at the clock. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the game trip to Agrabah? I thought you leave in a few hours."

Jay kicked his shoes off, letting them thud loudly on the wooden floor. "Not going," he said offhandedly as he stood up and went to the bathroom. "Neither is Carlos, by the way."

Mal snorted before pausing, his words registering. "Wait. What?" she demanded, getting up from the bed and following behind Jay, ducking out of the way when the boy smoothly shrugged off his shirt and threw it haphazardly in her direction.

Jay raised a brow as Mal sat on the closed toilet seat, studded boots tapping impatiently against the tiled floor, waiting for a response. He glanced towards the shower before back at her. She glared at him but shifted on the closed toilet seat so that her back was facing him.

He shook his head at her stubbornness but continued to remove his clothes before turning on the shower and stepping in.

"Explain," Mal demanded.

"What is there to explain, Mal? I'm just not going anymore."

"Bullshit!" Mal growled. "You were nervous but excited for the chance to finally go to Agrabah. Aladdin and Jasmine even sent you a personal invitation to have dinner with them."

"And I sent them an apology asking for a raincheck like a good little boy," Jay sighed, using some of the shampoo that Carlos had bought for Dude. (The fucking dog had more high-quality shampoo than both of the boys.) "They understood and were chill about it, unlike you," he said, sticking his head out from behind the curtain to see that Mal was glaring at him from over her shoulder before she snapped her head forward again.

"I thought we all agreed to be honest with each other."

Jay turned off the water, reaching out and catching the towel that Mal threw at him.

"Honest?" he scoffed. "Is that what you call hiding from Evie and Ben the last few days in here and stealing my bed?" He stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist, tapping Mal's shoulder as he passed her back into the main room.

"Jay!" he heard her shriek behind him before she came stomping out of the bathroom, all fire and brimstone in her glowing green eyes. (Joke was on her, that little magic trick had long ago lost its effects on him.) He stepped into the closet that he shared with Carlos for a moment, re-emerging in his usual casual attire, tying his long hair into a messy bun at the top of his head. (He needed to stop by Dizzy's room later and see if she would mind giving him a trim. Maybe she would even give him those little braids that would keep his hair out of his face.)

The former thief flopped backwards onto his bed, patting the spot next to him. "Let's play a game." When he looked up he saw Mal still standing, arms crossed and unamused. "Come on Malsy. Humor me?"

"Bite a poison apple," she hissed, though she made her way to his bed, laying down next to him. She glared up at the canopy. "What's the game?"

"Two lies and a truth."

He saw Mal glance at him from the corner of his eyes, confusion radiating from her before he saw her give the smallest nod.

"You start first," she ordered.

"Hm," Jay hummed thoughtfully before raising one finger. "Lonnie finally declared her eternal love for me today at practice." A second finger was raised. "I passed my chem exam yesterday."

"Oh, that's definitely a lie," Mal snickered before Jay gently elbowed her in the side.

"And finally," he said raising a third finger. "The night they announced that we might be sent back to the Isle, I dreamed that you all died." He swallowed thickly, throat suddenly feeling dry. "You...Evie...Carlos...Lonnie...Ben...everyone, even Uma, Harry, and Gil. Swallowed up by this big...dark, monster. It just...destroyed everything. And I couldn't do anything to protect you all."

Jay felt his throat tighten and when Mal silently reached out for his hand, he grabbed onto it, anchoring himself.

A few seconds passed between them in silence. As one inhaled, the other exhaled in perfect tandem.

"Wow," Mal cleared her throat. "Guess Lonnie has some pretty low standards," she attempted to keep her voice light.

Jay let out a strangled chuckle, throwing his other arm over his eyes as he tried to keep himself together. Mal squeezed his hand tightly but kept her eyes trained on the ceiling above, not daring to mention the way his whole body trembled in quiet sobs.

"My turn, I guess," she sighed. "One: I'm a disaster. Two: I'm a selfish disaster. Three: I'm a selfish disaster who really doesn't know what she's doing and keeps hurting the people she cares about."

"Yeah," Jay cleared his throat removing his arm from his eyes and looking at her, eyes red but dry. "You are a disaster. Like, damn! I've seen you in gym. It's a miracle that no one has died due to Mal's clumsiness."

Mal gaped at him before breaking out into uncontrollable laughter, Jay soon joining her. "Be serious," she giggled, slapping his chest. Jay caught her hand, holding it in his much larger one. They both sobered as they turned on their sides to face each other, their connected hands between them.

"I'll always have your back Mal, no matter what. If it's between you and Ben or even you and staying in Auradon, it'll always be you," Jay said sincerely, drawing a small thankful smile from Mal. "But that doesn't mean that I'll always agree with you or like how you do things. Mal, you're wicked smart and you were born to lead, but you let your own pride and insecurities hold you back."

The half-fae looked insulted. "I don't-"

"Yeah. Yeah you do," Jay cut her off. "And you avoid shit. Like, a lot. Anything that doesn't come easy to you, you run from it."

Mal tried to sit up, pulling her hand away from him but Jay tugged her back down next to him.

"Stop running," he said firmly. "Just stop!"

"I'm not!" Mal yelled, eyes aglow.

"Yes you are, Mal!" Jay yelled back. "Ben may be your true love and Evie may be your best friend but I've been there from the beginning and I know the signs of your bullshit! You're afraid. Just like I am." He let go of her hand, closing his eyes. He felt Mal's eyes on him and silently counted to ten to calm back down like he had seen Carlos do many times before.

After a few minutes, he felt Mal's head lie on his shoulder and he maneuvered his arm to wrap around her shoulders, bringing her closer to his side.

"Sometimes," Mal began softly. "Sometimes, I just want to take you, Evie, Carlos, and Ben and put you all somewhere. Somewhere safe," she sighed as Jay squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "But it's more than just keeping you safe. It's...I...I want you all for myself. You're all mine. And Uma is a threat to that."

Jay laughed opening his eyes and squeezing her tightly to his side. "Forty thieves, you're such a dragon. Hoarding everything you love away. What's next, are you going to climb on top of all of us and hiss at anyone who gets too close?"

"I may," Mal muttered, and Jay smirked before making his tone more serious.

"But you know that's wrong, right? Hiding all your friends away. Making decisions for them without asking them or taking their opinion into consideration. Thinking that you're the only one who is right. That you still need to prove yourself to us." He looked her directly in the eye. "We're not your mom, Malsy. You don't have anything to prove to us."

Mal let out a choked laugh, using his shirt to wipe the tears that were beginning to escape. "Gods, I hate that nickname," she sniffed, pushing herself up so that she was looking down at him. "And I hate when you're right."

Jay sat up as well. "But I am."

She nodded. "But you are. I...I love you all and you're all so precious to me. I'd burn this world down to ashes for all of you. No hesitation." She took a deep breath. "But I'm not my mother. I- I can't just force you guys to live like little dolls hidden away in a tower or some shit. But...I don't know what else to do. I don't trust Uma!" she exclaimed throwing her hands up.

"And I don't trust Harry," Jay stated calmly. "But I trust Ben because you and Evie trust him and if Ben thinks that Uma can help get the rest of the kids off the Isle…" he trailed off.

Snorting, Mal let out a hopeless laugh, wrapping her arms around herself. "Even after everything, mother was still right."

Jay bumped her shoulder. "Hey," he paused until she looked at him. "Not about everything. Not about you," he emphasized.

"You sure you want to be the head of the Queen's Guard and not something like that head doctor that Carlos is seeing?" the half-fae laughed.

Jay ruffled her hair before getting up. "What I say before? I'll always have your back."

WLTF

Ever since she first arrived in Auradon, ever since she and Mal and Jay and Carlos decided that they were going to be good, Evie always knew. She knew that despite having her best friend be the High King's Lady of the Court, that despite all the fanciful and lovely gowns she designed and made for Auradon's princesses, Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen, would never be royalty herself.

And for a moment, the still very shallow, very insecure little girl within her that loved when her mother would slather layer after layer of makeup on her unwrinkled face, would mourn the dream that she had had for so long. Of having a prince that would give her a castle with mirrors in every room. Of being the fairest of them all...

But then, just as quickly, she would remember who she was now. She was a rising business woman. Independent, smart, and level-headed. She was a sister and friend. Loving, kind, and fiercely loyal.

Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen and founder, designer, and CEO of Evie4Hearts, had survived on the Isle. Against the lack of food, horrid living conditions, and her mother's never-ending backhanded compliments about her beauty. She had not only survived the cruel bullying of the purple haired dragon that locked her in her castle for 10 years, but she became sisters, with said dragon, an honorable thief, and a lost pup.

Evie was not a princess.

She didn't need a crown filled with sparkling jewels to shine. And though her mother had had misguided motivations, being groomed by a former queen, no matter how wicked, had its uses, even if Evie had to sift through years of mental and emotional scars to find what could be useful to gain sympathy for the Isle children.

"Smile, but not with too much teeth," she remembered her mother's voice scolding her.

"Hello, Mr. Cogsworth. Hello Mr. Lumiere," Evie smiled entering the council room. The former clock and candelabra greeted her politely as they continued to set up the room. (She ignored the way that Cogsworth turned his nose up at her or how Lumiere's stance became less tense when they thought her attention was elsewhere.)

"Always be charming. Flirt but not overly so."

"Oh my! Don't you look dashing, sir! Is that a new suit?" Evie lightly ran her fingers over the shoulder of Doug's father's suit, Dopey grinning proudly at her praise. It was a fine suit. (But she could make him a much better one.) "The mice always design wonderful clothing," she made sure to say just as Jaq, Gus, and Mary passed by. Jaq and Gus's chests puffed with pride, but Mary looked unconvinced, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ask them questions about themselves to make them feel wanted."

"Really? He did that?" Evie gasped as expected, eyes wide and hands flying to clutch the material of her blouse over her heart with just the right amount of shock and concern. "And what did the royal advisors say when they found out that Emperor Kuzco named your children as his heirs, Pacha?"

(While Pacha enthusiastically narrated the rest of the story, she sees Pocahontas' hummingbird, Flit, glaring suspiciously at her.)

"Always be aware of your surroundings. Use your beauty and charm to wrap them around your little finger. But be discreet, girl!"

"Maybe you should just sit this one out, sweetie," Evie heard from the mermaid's pool as she continued to make her rounds around the council room. She half-listened as the three Good Fairies squabbled over something or another, discreetly shifting herself to get a better view of the small pool.

She could see the eldest of Triton's daughter, Attina, talking to who she quickly recognized as Princess Melody, her legs gone and replaced by a tail and fin.

"We wouldn't think any less of you if you didn't want to be here when...she arrives," Attina continued with a look of concern on her beautiful features.

Melody's back was turned toward Evie so she couldn't see the other girl's expression, but she heard the annoyance and disappointment in the princess's voice when she said, "We owe her to hear what she has to say. I owe her, Auntie Tina! We left her and Morganna's daughters on the Isle with no access to their heritage!"

Attina sighed as if this wasn't the first time she heard this. (Maybe it wasn't, Evie thought.) "You don't understand," the older mermaid began, keeping her voice soft under the buzz of the other conversations going on in the room to the point where Evie had to strain to hear her words. "Back then, the times were different and we-"

Melody shook her head violently, the ends of her raven ponytail trailing along the pool's surface. "I understand exactly what it feels like to feel like your own family has sentenced you to a future that you had no say in. To keep you away from the one thing that is such a big part of yourself!" she exclaimed passionately, catching Attina off guard. Evie watched as she paused for a moment, her shoulders rising as she apparently took a deep breath. "I love you, Aunt Attina. I love you, and grandfather, and momma, and papa, and the rest of our family whether they're on land or under the sea. And that includes her as well. Whether she accepts my love or not."

Attina sighed before pulling the younger mermaid into her embrace. "You remind me so much of your mother at this age," she murmured into her hair. Evie turned away, the moment seeming too private and the guilt of eavesdropping on such a familial moment mixed with jealousy curdled in her stomach.

"You doing alright, baby?" Mama Odie blindly reached out to pat Evie's hand from where she sat. Evie blinked, noticing that Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather had already moved on to talk to one of the dwarves.

Poisoned apples, she hoped she hadn't come off as rude!

(Oh, what did it matter, she had overheard one of them talking badly about Mal once, and Merryweather had been looking at her distrustfully ever since she joined the Council . . .)

Evie pushed those thoughts out of her head before giving the old voodoo priestess a genuine smile, kneeling next to one of the few members of the Council of Sidekicks outside of the dwarves that she felt like she could be honest with.

"Yes, ma'am. Just...nervous."

Mama Odie hummed to herself, still holding Evie's hand tightly in her own as she apparently seemed to stare off. Her pet snake, Juju, bumped affectionately against Evie's arm before curling himself around his mistress's neck.

"Can't say ya got nothin' to be worrin' about, cher," the older woman frowned, stroking the snake's head. "But these things always find their way of workin' out," she said patting Evie's hand reassuringly before letting go. "And I ain't worried about you, child. Just keep on listening to this," she tapped a knobby finger over her heart, "and you'll be fine."

There once was a time when being around someone so old, whose body was molded so much by time, that would have had Evie reaching for the makeup. Now, Evie took a moment to appreciate the love and joy that each wrinkle had earned and hope that she would be able to see that much happiness in her own life.

Evie opened her mouth to say something but was cut off just as Ben entered the room with Uma at his side. The friendly buzz of conversation drastically stopped for a moment, everyone's eyes on the two. But no one was looking at Ben. Everyone's eyes were on the infamous Ursula's daughter, who had become a legend in her own right.

"This sure gonna be something!" Mama Odie chuckled, wiggling comfortably into her seat, Juju moving to sit lazily across her lap.

Standing straight, Evie smoothed out the imaginary wrinkles in her skirt. "Definitely going to be something," she said to herself as she made her way down to Ben and Uma, hoping that they had done enough...

WLTF

The walk with Ben to the Council room had been silent and tense. Uma was too preoccupied, thoughts filled with genies, and magic, and the implications of heroes who barely took care of their own.

"Imagine what would happen to the kids from the Isle whose parents they still have a grudge against," Jordan's words played over and over in her mind. She had tried to pick apart the genie's words, looking for a motive, an angle, any deceit. But when she found none, she realized, though still wearily, that it didn't surprise her. After all, these were the same people who built an Isle, brought already defeated villains back to life and threw them on an Isle with no regards of the consequences.

And here she was. The supposed "villain" of this story.

When they finally reached the Council room, they were greeted with silence. All eyes on her (and not in the way she liked), like she was some wild animal that could attack at any moment.

Don't give me a reason, and you'll be fine, she thought bitterly as Ben led her to their seats.

As Ben called the meeting to a start, Uma crossed one leg over the other and straightened her back as she watched him. The boy king's voice came out clear, but his body was tense, nervousness leaking out in the way he shifted from one leg to another or in the way he clutched tightly to the sides of the podium he stood before.

"Council members," Ben greeted the audience before him. "We learned 20 years ago when this great United States of Auradon was first formed that we are greater together. That instead of dividing because of differences, we are stronger because of them."

Uma watched the room. Her eyes roamed across the room, identifying each member from the list Evie had given her earlier. Her gaze had eventually fell on the pond where beautiful women with glittery mermaid tails lounged on shallow ledges, all pointedly looking away from her.

Well, all but one.

Uma blinked as the youngest looking mermaid raised a hand slightly from the water in a small wave. The sea witch frowned. A sense of familiarity and unease settling in her stomach at this strange little mermaid.

A hand reached out and touched Uma's shoulder, startling her. She turned to see Evie looking at her worriedly. "Are you going to be alright?" she whispered, briefly glancing at the mermaids' pool before making eye contact once again with the sea witch.

"Just peachy," Uma shrugged the hand off and brushing a few braids behind her shoulder ignoring the piercing blue gaze from the pond.

"As I look upon our history," Ben continued, "as I look upon the tales that led to many happy endings and even happier beginnings, one thing that I'm becoming more and more aware of is-"

"Sire, I do not mean to interrupt what I am sure is a very lovely and inspiring speech," a clipped voice cut in. "But I would be remiss if I did not speak for many of us and ask why the daughter of Ursula is here and not in prison."

Eyes narrowing, Uma gaze searched the room for the source of the voice. A bit of fluttering and feathers caught her eye from above, amongst the branchy leafy area where some of the smaller animal Council members sometimes sat. There, glaring down at them was a blue and white feathered bird with a large orange bill.

"Captain Uma is here as my second Royal Councilor and as an integral leader to the children of the Isle, Council-member Zazu," Ben smiled, though Uma could see the way that one of his fingers was tapping anxiously against the side of his leg. "If you remember," he explained, "the Council voted to allow her and selected children from the Isle to cross the barrier at our last meeting. She-"

"Has broken the parameters of her probation!" the bird interrupted again.

"Told ya he wouldn't make it past opening remarks," one of the dwarves could be heard muttering over the whispers of the rest of the council members.

Uma felt her body tense. "Probation? What probation?" she questioned, looking at Ben and Evie. Neither of them had mentioned a probation.

("Look at this Cri-Kee! Poor girl didn't even know this was her trial!" Mushu shook his head from above as the lucky cricket next to him patted his paw in sympathy, as if the small dragon was being put up for trial.)

Ben didn't look at her, and that was all the confirmation Uma needed.

"You've set me up. Fuck you," she growled out before snapping her head towards Evie. "Both of you!"

The other girl shook her head, reaching out to tightly squeeze Uma's hand. At the contact, Uma felt a biting sting, like she had pricked her hand on something, but Evie merely held on tighter. "That's not true and you know it! We both have a lot at stake here, Uma. Zazu has nothing on you."

Uma snatched her hand away, glaring at Evie but keeping her mouth shut.

"As I was saying," Ben smiled pleasantly from where he stood, hands behind his back. (Uma wondered whether he would be still smiling after she had her way with him.) "Uma was granted amnesty for what happened during Cotillion and the Council decided together that she would be an appropriate addition to my advisors in regard to all Isle and Isle rehabilitation related work."

"On the basis that certain requirements would be upheld!" Zazu continued. "But not even a week had passed before she started creating mayhem amongst the students of Auradon Prep by starting a fight with a student, and even had the gall to have her lackey attack you, King Benjamin!"

(Lackey? Fuck you, you stupid bird! Harry would show him . . .)

"Aw hush, now birdy," Momma Odie chimed in, patting the table in front of her before grabbing a sheet of paper and holding it out. No one mentioned how it was a completely blank sheet of paper. "It says right here that neither Hercules's boy or sweet li'l Ben have filed a complaint, ain't that right, suga?" she questioned, pointing her walking cane directly at where Fairy Godmother sat off to the side as representative for the school.

"Oh! Y-yes," Fairy Godmother sat up straight. "That's correct. Both King Ben and Heracles, known to many as Herkie, son of Hercules have opted to not file a complaint."

Ben seemed to relax a little bit more, relief in his voice as he spoke. "It seems like things have been all cleared up, now-"

"Ho-ho-ho! Not exactly, dear boy!" a brown owl swooped down and landed on the podium in front of Ben. His yellow eyes seemed to pierce into Uma's as he cocked his head to the side. (Why the fuck were there so many birds in this damn Council?) "The parameters of the probation stated that no matter what, if Ursula's daughter was found to be in violation of any of the measures, we as the Council decide her punishment. No exceptions!"

"Now Archimedes-!" Ben began but found himself once again cut off, since Uma had stood up, making her chair fall.

She had had enough of this bullshit.

"Punishment?" she roared. Evie reached out to grab her arm again but Uma swatted it away. "How is that fair? I didn't even know anything about this fucking probation!"

Several members of the council gasped at her language but Uma didn't even have the energy to roll her eyes. Instead, she turned on her heel and stalked over towards Ben.

"When the hell were you going to tell me about this?" she sneered, face close to his.

"He couldn't," Zazu, spoke up, flying over and perching himself next to the brown owl, Archimedes. "It was in the agreement that brought you over and provided food for your…people," he looked down his long beak. "After all, how could we know for sure that you were actually trying to be good and not trying to throw another coup?"

(A tiny part of her mind thought that if this bird wasn't so against her, she would have congratulated him for being the only one in Auradon with a brain and a suspicious mind.)

Fury stormed in her eyes as she shoved Ben away, immune to the hurt and apologies starting to trickle out of his mouth.

"Fuck you," she said to him. She turned to the council. "Fuck all of you! None of you care about the Isle or the ways that you sentenced all the children there to our deaths before we were born." She glared down at the mermaid pool, looking directly at the youngest mermaid with contempt. "That you derived us of our rightful heritages! I've had to kill before," Uma continued, ignoring the sound of outcries. "But at least it was to survive! The blood on your hands is there just because you could."

"Council-member Zazu," Evie hurriedly got up, placing herself between Uma and the council, plastering a charming smile on her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. "King Simba and his Pride have always been a source of inspiration in terms of not judging someone because of who their parents are and what they had to do survive. After all, the current Queen of the Pridelands, Queen Kiara's own mate is the heir of Scar. Isn't Kovu an adequate example that anyone, despite their background can change?"

Zazu looked down at her. "Of course, young lady," he finally said after what felt like hours. Evie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "That is why you and the other children that originally came with you, will have your own records looked at separately once the correct punishment has been made for the daughter of Ursula and her band of hooligans. If the Council deems fit, you may be allowed to stay with...restricted rights, of course."

"You can't do that!" Ben suddenly roared loudly. "I forbid it! All of it!"

The room became silent. Even Uma looked startled by the king's reaction, though a little impressed as well.

"For once, the kid is actually right," a gruff voice called out from the council. "Though it ain't because he forbids it." A short older-looking man with horns and a greying red beard stood up from his seat and began to make his way to the front of the room. As he got closer, it became clear that he had legs of a goat.

A satyr, Uma vaguely remembered. And if there was a satyr in the council she could easily guess who he was: Philoctetes, trainer of heroes, trainer of Hercules.

As he stepped forward, he looked at Uma as if he were sizing her up before shaking his head. "Damn, genie," she heard him mutter lowly. "Gotta stop playing cards with him."

"Philoctetes?" Zazu gasped. "You haven't attended a meeting in the last several years!"

"Call me, Phil," the satyr scratched under his armpit, expression bored. "And can't a satyr enjoy his well-deserved retirement without having to listen to old birds like you two yap all day about rules? I got better things to do with my time."

Both Zazu and Archimedes feathers ruffled angrily at his words though Phil barely noticed.

"I'll try to make this short. As all of you know, twenty years ago we set up the Auradonian Accords which united the kingdoms, created the three councils and blah blah, all that jazz," Phil paced back and forth. "Part of the Accords is a special section titled the Pantheon Clause which states that gods and demigods are under the jurisdiction of their respective pantheon and therefore the council cannot give out punishment without the permission of the respective pantheon." He paused, looking Uma straight in the eye. "And as a descendant of the Olympian pantheon, granddaughter of Poseidon, God of the Sea, the Earthshaker, and Tamer of Horses, Uma of the Isle will be judged not by the council but by the gods."

Uma's stomach dropped. Her mother had always said that her grandfather was...but how was Uma supposed to know what was truth and what was not from a woman who was always drunk and could barely remember her own daughter's name half the time? The shock was quickly replaced with fury though. It didn't matter who her grandfather was. He obviously thought just as lowly of his own granddaughter as all these fools on the Council did.

"Has she been claimed by Poseidon or any of the other gods?" Zazu glared down his beak.

"I'll claim her if it means we can move on with this snooze fest," Maui groaned from where he sat in the back. (Mushu reached over and high-fived him.)

"G'ha-ha-ha!" Archimedes exclaimed. "Only those from the Olympian pantheon can claim her."

"Then I'll do it!" a voice called from the mermaids' pond.

"Melody!" one of the older mermaids hissed, but Melody shrugged her off, pushing herself to the edge of the pond so that only the end of her tail was still in water and turning around to face the Council.

"As a descendant of the Olympian pantheon and the future Queen of Atlantica and Seaside, both sea and land, I, Melody, daughter of Queen Ariel, granddaughter of King Triton, and descendant of Poseidon, claim Uma of the Isle as not only part of the Olympian pantheon but as my cousin and heir to the Sea," her conviction-filled tone resonated around the room, setting the room abuzz.

"What is this? A pity party?" Uma questioned, untrusting.

"No," Melody turned to look at her, shaking her head. "It's your birthright."

A mirthless laugh escaped Uma lips, but she said nothing else.

Fairy Godmother cleared her throat, regret clear on her face. "Though I'm sure Miss Uma appreciates the sentiment, dear, it's not quite that simple."

"The lady is right, princess," Phil sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose, a headache already beginning to form. "You don't meet the qualifications."

"That's right!" Zazu exclaimed with glee. "She needs the claim of either the King of the Olympian Gods, the god of the sea, or the ruler of the underworld." He chuckled as if hearing a funny joke. "Seeing how Hades has been stripped of his powers and is now on the Isle and that no one has seen Poseidon in decades, it seems only Zeus can claim her." He glanced up expectantly, looking around for a few moments before shrugging his wings. "Hm, seems like Zeus will not intervene, making the Pantheon Clause void in this case. Now-"

"Oh dear," a voice sighed, an overpowering smell of flowers and green grass and everything else that screamed spring filling the room. "I hope I'm not too late," a beautifully tall woman blinked into existence by the room's door. She walked towards the front of the room, a pleasant smile on her face, lush green grass and budding flowers appearing beneath her bare feet with every step she took. She wore a long dark green dress that had crawling vines and flowers that bloomed and then died before blooming again.

She stopped before the sea-witch looking at her as if she had just seen an old friend.

"Who are you?" Uma questioned before thinking, not realizing how loud her voice was in the completely silent room.

"I've gone by many names, sweetheart. Kore, Young Maiden, Demeter's heartache, Goddess of Spring. But I think," she said, tucking one of Uma's braids behind her ear, a sweet-smelling yellow flower blossoming in the tuck of her ear, "in these circumstances I shall use here my title as the Queen of the Underworld, Persephone. And in my husband's absence, I will claim you dear niece."

Wow...it's...it's been awhile. Sorry about that folks! But it's been updated, so yay!

Thank you all so much as usual for your reviews, favorites, subscriptions, alerts, etc. I really appreciate them. Big thanks to my amazing wonderful beta elphaba_swan for getting this chapter back to me despite being jet lagged. Also, another big thanks to both elphaba (kindofchaoticgood) and dxscxndxnts on Tumblr for letting me bounce ideas off of them with the council scene.

I really like this chapter for several reasons, the biggest being the introduction of Persephone but also because there's little bits of foreshadowing, some maybe obvious and some maybe not so much, that I can't wait to reveal later on in the story.

But anyway, please let me know what you think and feel free to follow me on Tumblr (edream93) for this story's playlist as well as my dreamcast boards for some of the characters. Or to just say "hi!".

Until next time!