A/N: Welcome back!
First of all I'd like to thank my beta WanderlustandFreedom for her great patience, precious help and support while I was writing these last few chapters.
I'd also like to thank everyone who's been reading my story. Every new fav and follow means so much to me.
A special thank you also goes to Harry Potter Fan 1994, SparkyGurly 227, Guest, AmethystDragon14 and jasmine. goradesky for having left a review for the last chapter. Feedback is always appreciated and is a great motivational boost for me to continue writing.
So in the last chapter, Bal were reunited and Mal made plans to return to Camelot unaware that Ben finally discovered the truth about his father's death and rebelled against Gaston. I hope you enjoy what's coming next :)
Chapter 12
Claudette stormed across her bedroom and swiped her hand across her vanity to send all of its contents to the ground with a loud, crashing sound. "He'll hate me forever!" she screamed before twirling around to face her husband, hands clenched in tight fists at her sides.
"I'll tell him you didn't know anything," Gaston replied from the across the room, standing by the window. He lifted a hand to his chest, lowering his gaze, and turned his shoulder away from her.
Claudette took a step forward. "It's over, Gaston. We'll never find peace!" she yelled.
Gaston turned to look back at his wife and raised a shaking hand into the air. He swallowed before walking up to and lifted his hands to grip her shoulders. "Claudette, please calm down. I can't bear to see you in this state," he pleaded with her.
"How can I calm down?" Claudette bellowed. She raised her shoulders, pulling them away from her husband's touch. "You imprisoned our son!" she accused, storming towards the fire hearth.
"He attacked me in front of my men. I had no choice but to punish him," Gaston retorted. "I am the ruler of this Land. I have to demand respect from everyone, including my son."
"Ben isn't a little child anymore! You can't punish him like that'll fix everything! He's a grown man, and he won't forget this!" Claudette whimpered as she wrapped her arms around herself. "You'll have the respect of your precious men, but you've lost our son forever. How can you be so blind?" she screamed.
Claudette unwrapped her hands and walked away from her husband, shaking her head. "The pride...the power..." she stammered. "They've lost us everything," Claudette whimpered, beginning to cry, her shoulders shaking with each sob.
Gaston's chin quivered, and he moved forward and grabbed his wife's turned shoulders. He bowed his head. "Claudette," his voice cracked. He bowed his head as the sorrow and disappointment clouded them both over. Standing in their room, both rulers broke down.
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Mal turned to look at the children huddled behind her on the back seat of the wagon. "Are you tired, children?" the princess asked with a worried expression. Her brow furrowed when one of the children nodded and snuggled closer to the person next to them, and Mal tried to reassure them. "A little more patience. We're close to the border, and once we've passed it, we can stop to rest and set camp for the night." They'd left the Black Arrow encampment early that morning and now, night was falling.
Mal ran a hand down the fabric of her soft, light cream tunic with a little grin. She'd been wearing men's clothes for so long now that it felt strange to be wearing something more feminine. Godmother had also insisted on pulling her hair back and wrapping it up into a pretty cream snood to match the dress. She turned to look at Chad, who was sitting next to her on the front seat driving the wagon. Few peasants could afford horses in Auradon, so to play the part the group was taking turns sitting on the cart while the rest walked.
The princess looked up to the top of the low hill above them when she heard the stomp of hooves and a loud series of neighs and voices she knew could only belong to soldiers. She exchanged a worried look with Merlin, who was walking beside her as an Auradon patrol troop made up of four soldiers on horseback spotted them and made their way towards them.
"Stop," one of the soldiers ordered, and Chad pulled the reigns of his horse, bringing the wagon to a stop as three of the soldiers dismounted. Two soldiers gave the reigns of their horse to the third one and walked up to the group of travelers. "There have been reports of bandits in the area," one soldier, who seemed to be the one in charge, announced. "Who are you? Where are you coming from?"
Godmother shot a quick side glance at Mal and the children. "We're fleeing from the recent attacks," she replied, trying to keep the stammer out of her voice.
"There have been reports of thefts," the other soldier stated.
Chad shrugged. "We don't know anything about it, sorry," he replied.
The soldier in charge leveled his eyes with the blonde. "Search him," he ordered, turning to his comrade beside him.
Chad dismounted from the wagon and lifted his hands in the air, letting the soldier turn him around and pat him down. "I assure you that I haven't stolen anything." He climbed back and sat next to Mal once the soldiers were done.
Mal swallowed and patted her sweaty palms against her tunic and looked at Merlin for reassurance.
The patrol leader narrowed his eyes, noticing the wordless exchange. "Let's see what you have here," he stated, walking up to the other side of the wagon where Merlin and Godmother were standing.
Mal's heart skipped a beat. The group had hidden a few bows and arrows at the bottom of the cart as a precaution. She had to think of something quick. Otherwise, the soldiers would discover the weapons, and they'd be arrested.
"King Stefan will be very unhappy once he hears about the way you treated us," Godmother declared when the soldier stopped in front of her.
The patrol leader's face turned a ghastly white. "King Stefan," he repeated.
"Yes, you heard me. I was one of the cooks at his castle for a long number of years," Godmother declared in a stern tone while putting her hands on her waist.
The soldier stared at the weathered woman and her family for a few seconds before turning his gaze to his comrade and let out a loud laugh. "Really," he mocked. "You worked at court? I heard that King only surrounds himself with the best people and that they are also well paid for it. You don't look anything special to me."
Godmother stuck out her chest, pushed her shoulders back, and expelled an audible huff. "What's so strange about it?" she countered, her voice rising in volume." The soldier didn't answer and continued laughing.
"I can cook something here and now if you want proof of my amazing skills," Godmother challenged. The captain was about to protest and return to search the wagon when his stomach let out a low growl. "I bet you've been patrolling all day. You and your man must all be hungry? What about a roe deer, flavored with some herbs? How does that sound?" she asked, with a grin. "Warm...cooked to perfection?" Godmother smirked, catching the captain's eyes which twinkled in anticipation, intrigued by the prospect of a good meal.
Mal stared at Godmother and stiffened, furrowing her brow. Chad nudged her shoulder, noticing her confusion. He winked at her, making sure not to be seen by the soldiers whose attention was focused on the exchanged between Godmother and their captain. "I'll start the fire," the blonde jumped in the conversation.
"Great," Godmother continued, her grin turning wider. "You take care of the deer," she instructed the soldiers, before turning to look at Mal. "While we take care of the herbs."
Mal dismounted from the front seat of the wagon and ran up to godmother who'd started to walk away. The woman was already a few meters away, out of hearing range of the soldiers, when the princess grabbed her shoulders. "What are you doing?" Mal asked with a furrowed brow and a hushed whisper. "Are you crazy?"
"Don't worry," Godmother replied with a confident grin. "Don't you know I'm an expert when it comes to herbs? Trust me."
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Although several hours had passed since Ben had been dragged to one of the cells of the castle's dungeons and his wrists chained to a sturdy, wooden support beam in the ceiling with thick iron shackles, time seemed to have stopped for the young prince. The chains were fixed to the far end of the cell, close to the wall, and were a few meters long, allowing him enough free movement to kneel and rest against the wall and on the stone floor beneath him. But Ben refused to submit, rising to his full height and fixing himself in the center of the cell instead, even though the uncomfortable position forced him to raise his shackled wrist from his sides and stretch them high above his head. His defiant gaze fixed on the iron bars in front of him as he waited for his adopted father to arrive.
A shudder passed through the prince's body. The soldiers had removed his heavy, silk doublet before chaining him. The thin white undershirt framing his shoulders, torso, and back gave him little protection from the cold dampness of the prison cell, but Ben didn't even notice. A whirlwind of thoughts rushed through his mind amidst a storm of conflicting emotions eating away at his soul and leaving him numb. Gaston, the man who had raised him for all these years, was his father's killer.
Ben heard footsteps clacking on the ground, followed by a set of voices, and he turned his head towards the far corner of his prison. His muscles stiffened and his shackled wrists began to shake in anger as Gaston, followed by two guards, stopped in front of the cell. Ben found himself unable to hear anything above the sudden intense rage that clouded his thoughts while making every detail about his guardian crystal-clear. He could see every thread in the fine cloth and saw the way every piece of metal caught the light the same way Gaston's steel gaze did. And he wanted to destroy it all.
The lord nodded his head towards Ben's cell, and one of the guards opened it. "Leave us alone," Gaston ordered. The guards lowered their heads and walked away, leaving them alone. On instinct, Ben's lips pulled back, baring his teeth as Gaston entered the cell and stopped a meter away from him, where the bound prince could not reach him.
Father and adopted son stared at each other without uttering a word, the rattling of chains the only sound in the cell as Ben tried in vain to move closer to the older man.
Gaston kept his impassive gaze fixed on the prince. "You've asked me for the truth, and here it is. In politics and war, the only thing that matters is winning and by any means necessary. The last man standing at the end is always right," the lord paused. "It's the only way one can get true power, but your father was too short-sighted and soft to see it." With an exhale, Gaston leveled his gaze with Ben. "Yes, I'm the one who killed him."
Ben's expression hardened. "And why didn't you kill me?"
"Because I wanted everything he had - his title, his lands...and his son's love." Gaston's voice broke. "Since we were kids, Adam had everything handed to him on a silver platter," the lord spat in a vicious tone. "While I spent all my life fighting for every little thing I had, just because I wasn't born of noble blood." Gaston drew in a deep intake of air and looked away. "Even Belle had eyes only for him. I would've done anything for her. I would've treated her like a queen and made her the happiest woman in this world, but she refused me, choosing to marry him."
The lord whirled his head back around to face Ben. "I'd never hated your father so much. All I could think about was how I could rid myself of him, but he was the King of Auradon, so I had no choice but to continue playing the part of his loyal and trusted advisor and general and wait until the right opportunity presented itself. And finally, ten years later, it did.
"The Great War broke out through the fairy-tale lands, and your father was foolish enough to oppose King Stefan's rise to power. Instead of choosing the winning side, Adam chose to defy him and find a peaceful agreement with Arthur. Stefan was all too happy to promise me the ruling power over Auradon in exchange for the itinerary your father and his allies intended to take that evening to the council meeting." A proud smirk stretched across Gaston's face. "Stefan had branded Robin as an outlaw, and an ambush from the Black Arrow was the perfect cover-up. No one suspected my involvement, and after all those years spent in the shadows, I finally got all I truly deserved. Auradon was mine at last!" he paused. "But I still had one threat left to deal with, his six year old son and heir to the throne, you. I admit, I should have killed you that morning as I watched you sleep. But I couldn't." Gaston looked away. "You look so much like your mother, Ben. Your smile, everything about you reminded me of her. I'd married Claudette by then but deep down I'd never forgotten my first true love. And so, I decided to spare you and raise you as my own. You were still young so it was easy for me to manipulate you in believing that the Black Arrow had killed your father." The Lord stopped and turned back to face the prince. "Adam stole Belle's love from me so in return I took the only other thing which mattered to your father, your love." Gaston stopped, his eyes narrowing onto Ben. "What I never counted on was discovering that I'd gotten genuinely attached to you, son"
Ben let out a guttural roar and pulled at his chains with all his strength as a wayward tear found its way down his cheek. "My father trusted you! You were like a brother to him! How could you have done that to him?" Ben's eyes blazed in fury. "I'm going to make you pay for all you've done, I swear! So save yourself! Do what you should have done! Kill me!"
Gaston broke eye contact with Ben and looked away a second time. "That's exactly what a warrior would do. He'd fix his mistake, but I can't," The Lord looked up. "Son, I can't!" he repeated, shaking as he turned and walked away from the struggling prince.
"I'm not your son," Ben yelled. "Come back here, you coward!" Gaston left the cell, not looking back to him. The guards returned to lock the door behind him, and Ben was once again left with his thoughts.
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Nightfall had fallen upon the group of travelers and Auradon soldiers sitting around the campfire. Mal looked past the flickering flames to cast a furtive side glance at the soldiers who'd started to eat.
"This deer is delicious," the patrol leader stated, looking up to Godmother who'd reached his side and poured a drink into his goblet.
"I told you I was a good cook,' she replied with a grin "It's all merit of the herbs."
One of the soldiers let out a long yawn and turned to his captain. "Captain, did you hear that Lord Gaston imprisoned the prince?" he asked, his voice lowering in volume. The soldier swayed as he began to get drowsy.
Mal's felt all of the blood run out of her face as her mouth fell open and her eyes went wide. "Prince Benjamin?" she stammered.
The three remaining soldiers fell on their sides in a deep slumber, but Mal didn't notice as her gaze locked on the captain, who nodded. "Rumors say he rebelled against Lord Gaston and tried to kill him," the soldier revealed, sliding down the log in a sleepy haze.
Merlin turned to look at his charge with a worried gaze when Mal raised a hand to her heart. "And what's going to happen to him now?" she asked in a shaky whisper. The only reason Ben would've rebelled against Gaston was if what Robin had told him had turned out to be true. Gaston killed Adam out of jealousy and greed.
"If he weren't his son, he'd be already dead," the captain replied in a hushed whisper. His dazed expression took on an amused look. "Now, they might draw it out for a few more days," he chuckled before falling to the ground, fast asleep.
Godmother's eyes flittered to the sleeping soldiers around the campsite who'd started to snore loudly. She brought a finger to her lips and turned to the children beside her. "Come on, let's go, children," she whispered, standing up and starting to lead them away.
Merlin walked up to Mal and rested a hand on her shoulder. The princess's eyes remained fixed on the slumbering captain. She blinked at the touch and took a deep inhale of breath. Ben's life was in danger and Mal felt like a ball of ice had dropped into the pit of her stomach. She stilled as the world around her went out of focus for a moment, not even noticing that Merlin had pulled her up to her feet and gently began to lead her away from the slumbering soldiers.
"Let's go," Chad whispered, following godmother away from the campsite. The blonde rested his hand on the weathered woman. "You did well with those herbs," he complimented her.
"You see that they worked," she replied, her lips pulling into a wide smile.
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The early morning air was crisp, and Chad brought his hands closer to the crackling fire in front of him to keep warm. They'd ventured into the forest for a few more hours to set up camp a safe distance away from the slumbering Auradon soldiers. The blonde offered to watch over the campsite while the rest of the group rested. He looked up and smiled, catching a shimmering star lingering in the sky just above the treetops. The sun made its appearance, casting an orange glow though the plum-colored clouds above them. A noise to his side caught his attention, and when Chad twirled around, his smile faded. His gaze followed the Fae princess, who'd risen from her spot on the ground. Mal wrapped a thick blanket around her shoulders and walked up to a large stone on the edge of the campsite without uttering a word or acknowledging his presence.
The blonde felt a tightness in his chest and he frowned when he noticed that Mal was upset as she slumped down onto the stone, she was facing away from him. He stood and walked up to her, sitting beside her. "Hey," he called, and Mal turned around. "You okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, plastering a little smile on her face. Mal shifted position and turned to face the trees ahead of her with a faraway look.
Chad frown deepened when Mal curled herself further into the blanket. "Thinking about Ben?" he asked.
The princess bit her lip, and her expression clouded with worry. "I can't believe he actually rebelled against Gaston," she whispered.
The blonde shook his head. "The soldier said it was only a rumor. And, besides, you believe that someone born and raised in Auradon with Gaston could change just like that?" Chad spat, his voice laced with bitterness.
Mal's lips stretched into a smile. "Yes, Ben is different," she replied, raising her gaze to meet Chad's.
The blond looked away. "You know, I was raised in a castle too," Chad revealed. "King Charming and Queen Cinderella adopted me when I was a child." He let out a long sigh and returned to look at the princess. "That's where I met Audrey. She's the granddaughter of King Stefan and heir to Auroria and the entire Eastern Kingdom." The blonde paused when Mal's eyes widened in surprise.
"We fell in love and got engaged. It was a happy time," Chad recounted with a sad sigh. "But that all changed when I turned fifteen. Charming and Cinderella's son, who was like a brother to me, killed a man by accident, and you know what happened?" he asked. Mal shook her head as a feeling of dread settled into the pit of her stomach. "They blamed me. They accused me of the crime to protect their flesh and blood." Chad's expression darkened. "I had no choice but to run away and find refuge in the forests. And Audrey decided to follow me out of love, renouncing her royal title." The blonde's eyes softened. "Robin and Marian found us wandering alone, lost and scared in the forests. We'd be probably dead if it weren't for them."
Mal's green eyes shined brightly with unshed tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. She looked so beautiful in the darkness that Chad's breath caught in his throat.
Silence fell upon the pair. Chad fixed his gaze on the princess, who had returned to stare at the trees ahead of her lost in thought. "You've fallen in love with Ben, haven't you?" he asked in a clipped voice.
Mal stiffened at the unexpected question as her heart threatened to explode out of her chest. The image of Ben's gentle smile flashed before her eyes, and a light pink colored her pale cheeks. "I'd like to help him," she blurted out after the moment of silence.
Chad couldn't tear his gaze away from the princess, feeling his belly flutter and without thinking, reached out to rest a hand on her knee. "I would like to help you," he stated, leaning towards her.
Mal stared at his hand, fixed her gaze on his eyes, and realization shook her to reality. She jerked away. "No, please," the princess whispered. "I can't."
Chad blinked as if he'd woken up from a daydream. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, rising to his feet and walking away from the princess. He shot Mal one last glance as he returned to his position beside the fire, his thoughts on Audrey and on how he'd have to find a way to stay away from the princess.
Hours later found the group making their way across a country road leading to Camelot after successfully crossing the border. Chad pulled the reigns of the wagon, bringing it to a stop. The blonde spotted a group of soldiers on top of a small ledge in the distance. "Who are those?" Chad asked.
Mal's eyes brightened in relief when she spotted the gold and red colors of Camelot. "Those are Arthur's soldiers. We're safe," the princess stated. The group of soldiers started to descend the hill and ride towards them.
"Are you sure?" the blonde asked.
"Yes, we're safe now." She leveled her gaze with Godmother, who was standing beside the wagon. "I think it's best you leave and aren't seen with us."
Merlin nodded his head in agreement. "The fewer people know of our alliance, the better. And you are still considered as enemies from the East here."
Godmother reached up and grabbed Mal's hand. "Good luck, Princess," she stated with a kind smile.
"Thank you so much for all you've done," Mal replied with a smile of her own. "Be careful."
"Don't worry about us. Without the wagon, there is no need to stick to the main roads, and we can cut through the forests to make our way back. Robin will be meeting us halfway. Come on, Chad," Godmother urged, turning to the blonde boy who'd dismounted from the wagon and joined her side. "Goodbye."
Merlin joined Mal on the front seat of the wagon as they waited for Camelot's guards to reach them. "That's Lancelot," Mal exclaimed with a bright smile.
"Merlin! Princess Mal," Lancelot greeted, pulling the reins of his horse to bring it at a stop beside the wagon. He dismounted his horse and helped the elder Fae and the princess step down from the cart. "King Arthur has been so worried. He'll be so relieved to see you both unharmed."
"Tell the King that I love him and can't wait to see him," Mal replied.
Merlin furrowed his brow. "What do you mean, Mal? You can tell him yourself once we return to the castle," he stated.
Mal stiffened, straightening her shoulders and locking gaze with her guardian. "I won't be returning to Camelot, Merlin. I'm going back to Auradon," she stated, her voice laced with conviction and her eyes shining bright with determination. "Ben needs my help."
Merlin felt his mouth drop. "Princess," Lancelot interjected. "Arthur gave me strict orders to take you straight to Camelot."
"Give us a moment, Captain," Merlin spoke up, finding his voice and having recovered from the shock. The elderly Fae knew his young charge and was well aware of her hard-headedness. It was nearly impossible to get her to change her mind once she decided on something. She resembled the late Queen Maleficent so much in this. But he still had to try. Lancelot walked away and returned to his men.
"Child," Merlin admonished in a stern tone. "Do you realize how dangerous going back to Auradon is? We've just had a close call with a group of Auradon's soldiers." He let out a long sigh. "And what if they capture you? Think about it! And all this for the boy they were going to force you to marry!" He exclaimed.
"Ben's not like the rest of those brutes, Merlin. He's kind and compassionate. If he'd asked me, I would've married…" Mal stopped mid-sentence and blinked, blushing as she realized what she'd just said. "Wait, I didn't mean it quite like that, I meant-" she stammered.
"You care for him, child. Is that it?" Merlin interrupted, his gaze taking in her flushed expression.
Mal's cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink. "Two enemies who look out for each other are foolish friends," she replied.
Merlin let out a defeated sigh. "And two people who can't seem to turn away from the other are…"
"Fools," Mal continued. "We're both fools. But I can be a little foolish for him."
Merlin let out another sigh. "I'm not going to manage to convince you, child, aren't I?"
Mal gave him a lopsided grin. "You've always told me I possessed my mother's hard-headedness." The princess's expression turned into a frown. "Ben will die if I don't save him, Merlin. I can't let Gaston kill him, not after all that he's done to him."
"I'm coming with you then," Merlin replied.
Mal shook her head. "Merlin, someone has to take the children of the orphanage to Camelot and find them a new safe home." She paused. "And I need you to assure Arthur that I can take care of myself and that nothing is going to happen to me."
The princess reached forward and kissed her guardian on the cheek. She walked behind the wagon and took out her bow and arrow together with her boy's clothes.
Lancelot returned to their side, and Merlin shook his head. "Take one of our horses, at least," the captain said.
"Thank you," Mal replied, mounting onto the brown stallion. "I'll be back, Merlin," she flashed them one last smile before riding away.
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Ben's faraway gaze returned to the present and focused on the chains binding him before he closed his eyes and pressed his head and right shoulder further against the cell wall. The manacles around his wrists had long rubbed his skin raw, and the seat of his pants was dampened, soaking up the water that beaded over the rough stones walls and made its way to the floor
The only source of light in the dungeon cell came from torches flickering in two iron sconces high above his head, and the prince had no way of knowing whether it was day or night outside. How many days had passed since he'd been imprisoned? Not that it mattered anyway. All was lost. He'd lost his home. His life, as he knew it, was shattered. And locked up in this cell, he had no way of avenging his father and freeing his people from Gaston's rule. It was only a question of time until the lord would decide to kill him.
Left alone, hanging from the chains for several hours, and with only his thoughts and anguish as a company, Ben had begun to wonder whether this was all some mistake. Time dragged on like they were years, and as the adrenaline from his confrontation with Gaston wore off, Ben felt himself deflate. The deep anger and rage towards his adopted father began to dissolve like the morning mist under the warming sun, first giving way to denial and then to a deep sense of emptiness. Ben felt numb. A fog of intense sadness clouded his soul, and a tear found its way down his cheek. The prince didn't bother to move his shackled wrist to wipe it. Everything around him seemed like a dream.
Then his vision changed, and the darkness of his empty mind was replaced by warm purple light, and Ben found himself back at the Black Arrows camp. 'Go see what you can find out. I'll wait for you,' a voice pierced through his fogged mind and warmed his soul. "Mal," Ben whispered, finding the resolve to open his eyes. Thoughts of the Fae princess seemed to give him new strength, and Ben straightened himself. The prince hadn't lost everything. Mal was waiting for him. He had to find a way out of this prison and get to her. He had to avenge his father somehow.
Ben heard the sound of a click of a key in a lock, and he jerked his head towards the cell door. He stiffened as a figure wrapped up in dark cloak covering his entire head and frame slid the door open, creating a loud noise as it scraped against the uneven floor. "Ben," the cloaked figure whispered.
The prince squinted his eyes against the dim light. "Who are you?" he asked.
The figure dropped the cloak, and the prince's eyes brightened in a mix of surprise and joy when the purple-haired Fae Princess ran inside the cell and dropped to her knees beside him. "Mal, is that you? Are you real?"
"Ben," Mal whispered with a wide smile. Her eyes flickered across his face, and her smile quickly turned into a frown when she noticed the dried blood on the side of his face and the fading purple marks of a bruise on his right cheek. The princess brought a hand up and laid it to rest against the side of his face. "What did they do you?" she mourned.
"It's nothing. I'm fine," Ben reassured her with a smile.
Mal blinked. "The guard will be returning soon. We have to get out of here," she whispered in an urgent tone and used the keys in her hand to open the chains and free Ben's wrists from its shackles.
"I thought I'd never see you again," Ben said in a hushed tone as the chains fell to the ground with a loud clinking sound.
Without thinking, Mal engulfed him in a tight hug, and Ben leaned into her, inhaling the sweet smell wafting from her hair. Her touch was comforting and warm, and it settled in his heart like a soothing balm, dispersing all the hurt and despair left there by Gaston's revelation. They broke apart, and Ben gripped her shoulders, fixing his gaze on her. "How did you find me?" he asked.
"Doug helped me. He gave me the keys. But I'll explain everything later. We need to leave now before they find us," she stated in an urgent tone, rising to her feet. "Can you walk?" she asked, stretching down her hand towards him to help him up.
Ben nodded and grasped her hand, standing up, and followed her out of the cell door. Mal turned towards the prison door she'd used to enter, but Ben pulled her to the other side. "This way," he instructed. He stopped to pick up a torch from one of the sconces and led Mal through a narrow, dark passageway.
Ben kept the torch trained in front of him. Their heavy breathing and the sound of their scuffling footsteps were the only sounds around them as they continued to make their way across the uneven floor covered in dirt and dust. "Where are we going?" she asked, looking at the rough stone walls.
"This passageway should lead to the old dungeons. They've been unused for years," Ben replied, pushing forward. "There should be an exit somewhere."
The narrow path opened to a relatively large room, and Mal gasped when the dim light from the torch revealed a series of stone tombs. "What are those?" Mal asked.
"The Knights of Rodegan built this castle, and I think they used it to bury their own," he explained. The wind blew through the passage, flickering the flame of the torch in Ben's hand. "Come on. The exit must be here somewhere."
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Doug walked across the forest beneath Auradon's Castle, sword in hand. A grey mist surrounded him, giving the trees around him an eerie glow. The young knight could still hear the distance tolling of the castle bells, signaling Ben's escape and the sound of his comrades as they scouted the area for the missing prince. Doug tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. He was sure that Ben hadn't been foolish enough to escape from the prison's main door. And so that the prince with only one other option, the old underground dungeons. What no one knew, especially Ben was that Doug had ventured in the dungeons as a kid and knew of the exact location of its exit.
The young knight stopped in front of a tiny, abandoned stone structure at the edge of a large clearing, covered in vines, looking around him. Doug heard the noise of splintered wood and twirled around in the direction of the broken window.
"Doug," Ben exclaimed in surprise, throwing the torch onto the grass and hauled himself out of the window. The prince turned around and pulled Mal out, gently carrying her to the ground.
"Wait for me at the start of the forest. I'm coming," Ben told Mal with a smile. The princess nodded and ran off, and Ben turned to his childhood friend.
"Doug, thank-" Ben stopped when Doug raised his sword and rested it on the side of his neck. "Doug, what are you doing?" the prince asked, his eyes growing large.
"I'm following my father's orders," Doug replied.
His best friend's statement stole the breath from Ben's lungs, and the prince swallowed. "Forget, your father's orders Doug. Come with me!"
"I can't, Ben," he replied.
"Don't you understand that they're killers? We aren't like them," Ben retorted, trying to make Doug see sense.
"Doug," a loud voice boomed across the clearing as Dopey and a group of soldiers dashed towards him. "Kill him!"
"Come with me," Ben pleaded, his voice rising in volume. Doug shook his head, and Ben felt the blade start to shake against his exposed skin.
Doug's face contorted in pain, and he lowered his sword. "Run, Ben. Hurry!" he exclaimed. Ben didn't look back at his best friend and made a beeline for the trees.
"Hurry, follow him," Dopey shouted as the group charged across the clearing. The general stopped in front of his son, and raising his hand, struck the young knight hard across the cheek. "What did you do?" he yelled as Doug fell to the ground with the force of the impact.
"Forgive me, father," Doug pleaded.
Dopey lowered himself to pick up his son of the ground when the soldiers returned to his side. "We've lost him, sir," one of them stated, and the general let out a loud snarl in frustration.
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Ben continued to race through the forest until he spotted Mal a few meters ahead of him. He stopped by her side to catch his breath and turned around, letting out a relieved smile when no soldiers appeared behind them. They'd lost them. "What direction do we take?" he asked the purple-haired princess.
"I promised Merlin that I would return to Camelot. Come with me!" she replied, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "Both Merlin and Arthur would welcome you as a friend."
"I would love too, Mal," Ben smiled. "But," he continued, his smile vanishing as his expression sobered. "There's something I must do first. Do you know where the Black Arrow's camp has moved to?"
"Yes, of course, I know," Mal replied.
"Take me to them," the prince asked, raising his hands to grip her shoulders in a gentle hold. "It's important."
"I can't," the princess retorted, shaking her head. "I swore that I wouldn't have revealed their location to anyone."
"Mal, you know what gave me the strength to fight the despair and hurt from Gaston's revelation." The prince paused, and Mal shook her head as their eyes locked. "The thought that I hadn't lost everything. That I still had you by my side. That my life still had a purpose. Please don't abandon me now."
Mal's gaze softened as she continued to stare into Ben's eyes. Time stilled, and after a few moments, the princess nodded and reached up for his hands on her shoulders and pulled them down in front of her, clasping them tightly in her own.
It almost took them two days to reach the Black Arrow camp. Mal walked in front of him as they entered the encampment, and Ben stiffened under the stern gazes that the Black Arrow members were throwing him. "Benjamin of Auradon would like to join the Black Arrow," the Fae princess announced.
Ben swallowed and flickered his gaze across the camp. "I've come to fight by your side. If you accept me, I'll do everything to prove my loyalty," he stated, walking up to Robin, who stood in front of his people.
Silence followed. Robin then closed the distance between them and rested his hands on Ben's shoulders. "The Black Arrow welcomes you, Benjamin, Son of King Adam of Auradon." The archer smiled and lowered himself to embrace the prince.
Chad, whose face had lit up upon seeing Mal, let out a low growl. "I don't want him to stay here. I don't want Lord Gaston's son to join us," he stated, his voice laced with anger. The blonde walked up to them, eyes blazing. "Tomorrow, we're going to attack one of your wagons and take back what belongs to the innocent people of Auradon," he stated, locking eyes with the prince.
Ben squared his shoulders and held Chad's gaze. "I'm here to prove that we have the same objectives," he declared. The prince tore his gaze away from the blonde to look at the other outlaws. "Fight the injustice in Auradon." He paused. "And kill Gaston."
Chad's face turned a bright red as he stormed off.
Robin let out a sigh and returned to rest a hand on Ben's shoulder, noticing the prince had started to shiver from the cold. "Ben, you must be tired from the journey. I'll tell Godmother to prepare some warm soup for you and Mal." He smiled. "Come with me. We have much to discuss," the archer exclaimed, leading Ben and Mal towards his tent.
A/N: So what do you think? Mal has saved Ben from Gaston's clutches and Bal are finally reunited as they draw closer and closer to each other. And in an unexpected turn of events Ben has joined the Black Arrow. I'm happy to say that this chapter closes the first part of the story and we are about one third through the series. Ben has now discovered the truth and all I can tease is that the second part/arc of the story will now be shifting onto Mal as we venture a little more into her past.
I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter in a review. See ya all next week!