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 SparkyGurly 227, AmethystDragon14 and Allison for having left a review for the last chapter. Feedback is always appreciated and is a great motivational boost for me to continue writing.
SparkyGurly 227: I wish I could calm your fears about Doug but you're going to have to read the next chapters to find out what happens to him. By the way well done for spotting Jay (it was indeed him) in chapter 12. He will return in the future chapters and also Evie will make her appearance but that's still a few chapters away. Their roles become important towards the 2nd and 3rd parts of this story.
Allison: I'm glad that you're liking the story so far. You've made me so happy with that comment about Chad. To be honest he's one of the characters I'm most worried to write out. I really hope you enjoy the rest of the story.
AmethystDragon14: Yep, you got it correct. Chad has a crush on Mal and all I can say his jealousy is going to have an "important" impact on the events of the story.
Anyways back to the story. So in the last chapter, Bal were reunited after Mal saved Ben from Gaston's dungeons and Ben joined the Black Arrow. To be honest I'm very excited to write this second arc of the story for two reasons. (1) Ben and Mal are reunited at last so I finally have the opportunity to write some nice Bal moments and (2) I now get to focus on Mal's backstory which from a personal point of view is going to be challenge to deliver. I hope you'll like what I have planned (evil wink). Anyways, as mentioned in the last chapter, the Black Arrow were planning to attack one of Gaston's convoys. Let's see how that turned out...
Chapter 13
The light morning breeze howled through the trees and blew Ben's hair out of his face as he raised his arms, bow, and arrow in hand. The silence around him was broken only by the occasional neigh of his horse, which was tied to a nearby tree behind him as it fed on some grass. The prince drew the arrow, niched it, and pulled back, aiming towards a small pumpkin resting on a fence post several meters away.
"Clear your mind and focus on your target," Mal instructed from his right side. She stepped towards him, stopping a few centimeters away from his shoulder. "Now imagine the arrow and its trajectory," she explained. Ben narrowed in eyes in concentration, and focused on keeping his arm steady, ready to release the arrow.
"Stop," she whispered, circling behind him before stopping on his other side and leaning towards him. "Wait until you've pushed away all the outside distractions, and the target is your only focus," she continued in a hushed tone.
Mal's sweet scent of lilacs hit Ben's nose, and he tried to steady his breathing. "Listen to the beating of your heart," the princess whispered in his ear. "Listen to the voice inside of you, and don't think about anything else. And when you're ready…" she trailed off. Ben loosed the arrow, which whizzed past the pumpkin and buried itself into a tree instead. Ben grunted and rolled his eyes in frustration, and Mal let out a little giggle. "You weren't ready enough," she teased, walking away to stop in front of him.
The prince sighed and shook his head. "Give up, Mal. Your father's teachings aren't going to work on me. I grew up in Auradon, fighting with a sword." He smiled at the purple-haired princess. "The truth is just that I don't have your amazing talent."
Mal's cheeks took on a pinkish hue as she returned his smile. "Everyone can learn. You need to practice," she quipped, picking an arrow from her quiver. "Here," she offered, moving away from him.
"Okay then," he replied, straightening himself before taking his position once again. He buried his toes into the ground and leveled his gaze before pulling back.
"Remember the heart," Mal reminded him. "Listen to what it tells you."
Ben considered her words and then lowered his arm. "I did," he confessed.
"And what did you feel?" she asked, crossing her arms like she was expecting a pitiful argument.
The air stilled. "You," Ben replied, breaking the silence. The prince turned and stepped forward until he was in front of her – close enough to feel her breath - and rested his hand on her right shoulder. "Your fragrance. The sound of your voice. The truth is that I was focusing on you and not on that target."
Ben's expression relaxed into a bright smile, and Mal's breath caught in her throat as her heart sped up a few beats. Her eyes remained fixed on Ben as her heart continued to flutter. A deeper blush blossomed in her cheeks, and the princess couldn't stop the elated smile that spread over her mouth. She cleared her throat, looking away. "Don't invent excuses," she teased, trying half-heartedly to cover her face. "You need to practice."
Ben's smile turned into a pout before retaking his position. "But are you sure that your father's journal doesn't talk about…love?" he asked.
Mal froze at the mention of the word 'love,' but the sound of an approaching horse brought her back to the present. The pair twirled around to face Chad.
The blonde stopped his horse beside Ben, and his gaze lingered on Mal for a moment before he threw a long, brown scarf to the prince. "Here," Chad snapped, "Use this to conceal your identity. We need to go. Or did you forget about the assault?"
"Of course not," Ben replied in a stern tone. He turned around and wrapped the scarf around his neck while walking back to his horse.
"Ben," Mal called. The prince turned around and waited for the Fae princess to reach him. She rested a hand on his arm.
Mal's smile had turned into a frown. "You know you don't have to prove anything to me. Nor to anyone else," she reassured him.
Ben's face brightened, and he beamed at the princess, lifting his hand to caress her cheek. Mal didn't pull away from his touch. "I know," he replied, taking up the reins as the wind fluttered through and blew his scarf over his shoulder. He threw her one last smile before walking away.
Ben mounted his horse and directed the beast to trot over to Chad. As the two young outlaws rode away, a feeling of dread settled into Mal's stomach.
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The sound of the heavy horse hooves became deafening as they drummed across the forest path, and Ben could almost feel the ground shake beneath him. "Here, they come. It's them," one of the Black Arrow's archers announced from his spot behind a tree. Ben narrowed his eyes at the soldier convoy riding beneath him. It was the last weekday of the month, and Gaston's soldiers were riding to the farmer village up ahead of them to collect the monthly taxes. The outlaws had positioned themselves on a hill, hiding in the trees to conceal their presence and give them the element of surprise.
Ben felt his shoulders tense as he raised his arms, bow, and arrow in hand, and aimed at the passing soldiers. Someone elbowed him, and he jumped as someone leaned close and began to hiss in his ear.
"How does it feel to point your arrow against your old friends?" Chad sneered. Ben turned to look at him.
"Be quiet," Robin hissed from a few feet away.
Ben ignored Chad and drew his bow, lowering his gaze to the lowland underneath him. Chad scowled. "Exciting, isn't it?" he jabbed.
Ben twirled around. "Yes. They're my enemies now, but I assure you that nothing is exciting about all this," Ben retorted in a stern tone.
"Enough you two!" Robin snapped. "Now isn't the time for this!"
A farmer's panicked voice echoed through the forest and brought an end to their spat. Ben felt his stomach coil as he listened to the man begging the soldiers for mercy. He glared at Chad before reaching out to cover his nose and mouth with the brown scarf and followed Robin, who'd started to make his way toward the farm.
The leader of the Black Arrow stopped at the furthest point of the ledge and raised his hand to his comrades, signaling them to hold their positions, and his expression hardened as he watched the soldiers torment the poor farmer and his family. A group of around twenty soldiers was scattered around the perimeter of the farm. The farmer, who stood outside the door of his house, ordered his son to remain inside while his wife, carrying a basket, approached the soldier in charge with slow, cautious steps.
"Here," the farmer's wife said, offering a basket of eggs to the soldier. "We have more of these if you like."
The soldier shoved the woman to the side, who dropped her basket onto the dirt floor, causing some of the eggs to roll away. The soldier smashed his foot against the basket with the remaining eggs and let out a loud sneer. "My men prefer chickens to the eggs," he taunted.
"Leave her alone," the farmer demanded, rushing to the woman and helping her up to feet.
The captain ignored the man and turned to his second in command. "See what you can find in the barn," he ordered.
"You can't do that to us! I beg you," the wife pleaded with the captain, reaching out to grasp his hand. "You've taken everything from us! We don't have anything left to eat!" The captain snarled and ripped his arm from the woman's grasp before shoving her to the ground for the second time.
"Mother!" the woman's son cried out in worry.
Robin snarled and lowered his hand, and Friar Tuck struck the captain down, who fell to the ground with a loud howl.
"The Black Arrow!" one of the soldiers screamed as several arrows flew towards them from every direction. They were surrounded.
Taken by surprise and with no place to hide, five of the soldiers on horseback fell to the ground, unmoving while the farmer pulled his wife and son inside their house for cover.
"Follow me!" Robin ordered, with his sword drawn. He rushed down the ledge, followed by his men. The outlaws didn't waste time and spread out to engage the remaining soldiers. Ben followed them, rushing into battle.
Ben stopped in front of one of the soldiers and readied his sword. His opponent was tall and well built, towering over him by at least a foot. The prince needed to be fast if he hoped to beat him.
They eyed each other for a second before Ben rushed towards him. Their blades locked, both swords shuddering from each other's strength. His opponent was strong and skilled, but Ben parried a blow to his sword with a quick left-handed thrust, and the man was caught off-guard. The prince angled his sword under his opponent's. He locked their swords together at the hilts and pushed the soldier back a few steps until he hit his back against the side of a wagon. He was trapped. Then, the soldier pushed his weight forward with a loud battle cry, and Ben lost his balance. The soldier's sword sliced through Ben's cheek as the young prince fell onto his back on the ground. Ben let out an audible groan as the scarf fell off his face from the force of the impact, revealing his identity.
The soldier raised his sword above his head and was about to thrust it into Ben's heart when he stopped mid-air. "Your highness," he stammered, recognizing the young prince. The soldier lowered his sword and took a few steps backward.
Ben rose to his feet and raised his sword. "Fight me!" he ordered. The soldier shook his head as he continued to retreat backward. The two opponents stilled as they stared at each other.
"Kill him!" a voice shouted to Ben's right. The young prince twirled around and locked eyes with Chad, a short distance away from him. "Come on! Kill him!" the blonde repeated.
The soldier used the distraction to slip away from the prince. He dashed towards his horse, which was tied to a tree at the edge of the forest. Ben jerked around and charged after the soldier, but the soldier mounted on the horse in one swift movement and galloped away.
Chad nocked one of his arrows, drew the string of his bow back, and shot, aiming at the soldier's head, but the arrow hit a tree. The blonde growled in frustration as the soldier disappeared from view.
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Godmother smiled as she arranged a bunch of herbs in a neat rectangular shape on the board in front of her and began to cut through them. The loud, chopping sound made Mal pause in her words. She blinked and then watched the world fade from around her. It was as if she were trapped in a body that was not her own as she stared at a jumbled conglomerate of disjointed thoughts, the same images that had begun to haunt her dreams ever since her visit to the Moors. She watched someone tall and strong grab a woman's pale wrist, wherein was gripped a sword. They were in a dark corridor, and the man was calling her mother's name. The image of a smiling brown-haired man appeared in front of her eyes. He reached for her hand, squeezed it, and then contorted in sudden pain before falling to the ground. A green lizard engulfed by raging flames danced in Mal's head. It was as if every haunting image was a piece of a puzzle being put together before her eyes. She wanted to scream at the images to stop but remained frozen in place. She saw herself - a purple-haired child - running through plants and flowers and long rows of produce when a voice calling her name pierced through her thoughts and brought her back to the present. Godmother had seen her lack of attentiveness and set down the knife. She had a gentle hold of her biceps and was shaking her lightly, calling for her. "Mal?" She asked, squeezing Mal's arms. "Mal?"
"What was that?" Mal gasped. "Why… what?"
"Mal," Godmother called. "What's the matter, child? You looked like you were dreaming wide awake!"
Mal blinked as she focused on the weathered woman. The princess ran a shaky hand through her hair and leveled her gave with Godmother. "More than a dream, it was like reliving a nightmare."
Godmother's frown deepened. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked. "I know you haven't been around us for a long time, but I'm always here if you need to talk with someone."
The Fae Princess shook her head, and silence fell upon the pair. Godmother sighed and turned her head towards the baskets behind her. "Bring me some Echinacea leaves. They're in that small basket right there," she instructed as an excuse to break the uncomfortable silence.
Mal stood and returned a moment later with a bunch of leaves in her hand. She gave them to Godmother, who smiled at the young princess. "Thank you. You know I call this herb the Devil Killer," she revealed. "It goes by many names, but the result is still the same." The weathered woman paused. "It cures all types of injuries." Her smile faded. "Assaulting one of Gaston's convoys is no joke, and we must all be prepared for the worst."
Mal's mouth went dry, and she bit her lip in worry as an image of Ben flashed before her eyes. "But is it worth risking so many lives for just one gold consignment?"
Godmother's mouth turned downward, and she swallowed. Her voice took on a gentle faraway tone as she lowered her eyes and focused on the herbs in front of her. "A few years ago, I was pregnant with my first child." She stilled and then ran a hand over her flat stomach. "Something inside me told me that she was going to be a girl, and so my husband and I decided on a name almost immediately; my little Jane," the elderly woman smiled. "But…one day, a group of Gaston soldiers attacked the village we lived in looking for the Black Arrow. My husband stood up to them, but they killed him and shot me through the stomach. Soon after, I lost the child." Godmother paused and turned to look at her side, leveling her gaze with Mal's. "The Black Arrow rescued me and brought me to their camp and tended to my wound. But it was my little Jane that saved my life that day…or at least that's what I like to think."
Mal's eyes brightened with unshed tears as the older woman looked away from her. "And that is when the Black Arrow became my new family. And I became everyone's godmother as I started helping out in the camp, especially after they discovered my talent in the kitchen," she continued with a little smile. "But maybe that is why death doesn't scare me that much. For me, the risk is worth the reward. I have to pay her sacrifice forward," she trailed off.
"I'm sorry," Mal whispered, reaching out to grip godmother's wrist in a warm hold.
"Everyone around here has their tragic past." Godmother sighed. "That's why it's not so hard for us to risk our lives. It's worth the danger if we can help others. The gold of that consignment could feed so many poor people." She squeezed Mal's hand. Godmother gathered the cut herbs in a bowl into silence and stood up, taking the bowl with her as she headed towards the campfire, leaving Mal alone with her thoughts.
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Chad crouched down beside one of the fallen Auradon soldiers and began to pat him down in search of gold coins. The rest of the outlaws were spread across the farm, examining the captain's wagon for any trace of the monthly taxes. "Nothing," the blonde muttered in frustration, getting to his feet. Chad threw Ben a death glare as he brushed past him and walked a few steps further before kneeling beside another soldier as if it were Ben's fault that he was coming up empty-handed. His eyes lit up when he found a small bag attached to the dead man's belt. The outlaw was still kneeling on the ground when the farmer's son squatted down beside him.
"Can you give me one of your arrows?" the boy asked. Chad turned around and studied the young farmer in front of him. He couldn't be older than sixteen.
Both boys stood, and Chad took one of his arrows and offered it to him. "Here," he smiled. "But it's not enough to have an arrow." The blonde turned to his side and gave Ben a pointed look. "To be a Black Arrow, you need to have courage, but most of all, strong nerves!"
Ben threw his bow to the ground and marched up to the blonde outlaw, stopping a few centimeters away from his face. "If you have something to tell me," Ben stated, bringing up his hand and waving it at Chad. "Do it to my face!"
"Just because the others have allowed you to come with us, it doesn't mean that you have what it takes to be a Black Arrow!" Chad exclaimed, his tone rising in volume.
"And what was I supposed to do? Tell me," Ben challenged. "Kill that soldier even though he spared my life?"
Chad snarled and leaned towards Ben, taking a deep whiff as he did. "I smell Lord Gaston's stench," he declared, straightening himself. "I bet that he'll double his efforts to find us now that he knows that his son has joined us!"
Ben gripped Chad by the front of his doublet and pulled him towards him. "I'm not his son!" the prince bellowed, shaking Chad in his hands. "I'm not his son!"
"That's enough!" Robin roared, walking up to the pair and pushing the two apart.
The prince's eyes hardened, letting go of the blond and turning to the leader of the Black Arrow. "I want to kill Gaston!" he yelled, eyes blazing. He turned to Chad. "And restore peace to my kingdom!"
Robin sighed and turned to Chad with a stern expression. "I decided to welcome Ben into the Black Arrow," he declared. "If you have any problem with it, you take it up with me directly! Understood?" Eye turned to the ground and shoulders slumped like there were heavyweights on him, Chad nodded.
"Robin!" Friar Tuck yelled from beside the soldier's wagon. The archer left the pair and joined his second in command. "There's nothing in here," the monk revealed.
"What do you mean, nothing?" Robin asked in a furrowed brow. "Now is not the time to joke!"
"Beer! Grain! Floor!" the friar explained, opening a barrel and picking up a handful of wheat as evidence. "But no sign of either gold or silver!"
Robin's expression darkened, and he sliced his hand in the air in frustration. "Empty the wagon and give everything to the farmers," he ordered.
"We don't want anything!" the farmer exclaimed, leaving his house's doorstep and walking up to the outlaws gathered around the wagon.
"But it's all your stuff," Ben exclaimed, tilting his head to the side.
"It's your war. Not mine," the farmer replied. "I have a home and a family!"
"And for whom do you think we're fighting for?" Robin countered. "Someone needs to defend your family and other people!"
"When Gaston's soldiers will return, they should find some poor robbed farmers and not some allies of the Black Arrow," the farmer spat.
"We'll keep it all then!" Chad snapped, turning around.
Robin walked up to the farmer. "I will never help Gaston in starving your families," the archer stated. "I will unload all the food unto the ground. We'll take only the horses and wagon with us. Now you can either choose to leave it all there or else go tell the other farmers to come to take back all that was stolen from them." The archer turned away and went to help his men.
"Sir," the farmer's son called. Robin turned and watched the young boy walk up to him. "I want to come with you!"
"How old are you?" Robin asked.
"Sixteen, sir!" the boy replied, straightening himself to his full height.
Robin sighed with a smile. "At your age, everyone wants to be a hero," he said in response. "But you need to stay here and help your father. Go back to your family. They need your help." The archer turned away and reached for his horse.
The boy watched with drooped shoulders as the Black Arrow mounted their horses and left the farm.
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Two days after news of Prince Ben's revolt against Gaston and his escape from Auradon's dungeons reached Auroria, King Stefan sent a messenger to the Lord asking for elucidations on the matter.
King Stefan shifted position on his elaborate wooden throne to better focus his attention on the lord standing at the far end of the room, flanked by his two generals, Dopey and James Hook. The king glared sternly at them. "So, let me get this straight," the Eastern Ruler declared, "Prince Benjamin, your so-called heir, has rebelled against you and has joined those outlaws who are still creating havoc in your lands? What is happening, Gaston?"
"I've come to Auroria to reassure you in person, your majesty!" Gaston stated, locking eyes with the eastern king. "Despite all that has happened, I still have full control over my lands!"
King Stefan rose from his throne and began to laugh, his voice deafening as it reverberated across the room. Gaston went rigid as the king started to walk towards him. The sound of his footsteps drumming across the stone floor echoed in perfect tandem with each beat of the lord's racing heart. "You, Gaston, want to bring Arthur's allies over to our side, but you can't even control your son!" the king jabbed, stopping a meter away from him. "How can I trust your promises?"
The king, with his imposing and square physique, towered over Gaston. The lord didn't flinch and kept his steady gaze locked with the eastern ruler. "There's nothing to worry about, sire. I'll handle my son and the Black Arrow," Gaston declared.
"You see that you do!" Stefan threatened. "Remember that your authority over Auradon depends solely on me. I don't want loose ends; I want facts!"
"And you'll have them, your majesty," Gaston insisted. "You won't regret giving me Auradon." The lord bowed his head in respect before storming out of the room following his men.
Gaston was still fuming a day later as their horses galloped towards Auradon. "We could offer a reward as head money for Ben's capture," Dopey suggested, riding beside his ruler.
Gaston shook his head. "No head money," the Lord replied. "Ben is mine. I was the one who let him live all those years ago, and now I must be the one who kills him!" Gaston's expression hardened. "Dopey, I want you to ransack and burn every town, house, and farm in this kingdom until you find him. I want everyone to remember who's the true ruler of Auradon!"
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Claudette clasped her hands together and brought them close to her heart as her eyes wandered across her son's room. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift off to the memories of the happy times she'd spent with Ben. The brown-haired woman opened them and dragged herself up to Ben's bed with short, heavy steps. She lowered her arms and let her left hand trace a straight-line across his covers before she stopped to rest her free right hand against his pillow.
Claudette let out a sigh and sank onto the bed before lying down to rest, her head against Ben's pillow. She took a long, deep breath in, inhaling the smell of Ben's cologne, which still lingered on the sheets.
The door to the room banged open as Gaston barged into the room, looking for his wife. The lord stopped a meter away from the bed, and his eyes narrowed when he spotted her lying down there, holding Ben's pillow in a vice grip. "The Black Arrow attacked one of my convoys," he bellowed. "And Ben was with them. From this day forth, my son is dead to me!" Claudette's head snapped up, and she rose to a sitting position, jerking her shoulder back to look at her husband. "Whatever belonged to him never existed!" he yelled, his eyes flickered across the walls. "Starting from this room!"
"Ben is still our son! You can't take him away from me!" Claudette countered.
"My enemies should be your enemies," Gaston rebuked. He walked up to the side of the bed. "And we would have never come to this if you had given me a son, of my flesh and blood." Claudette's eyes went wide before she stood from the bed and walked up to the window, her back to Gaston. "You're not innocent, either!" the lord reminded her. "You never told Ben the truth because you were comfortable playing the part of the doting mother! But whatever you do, you'll never be his birth mother. Belle died of childbirth!" he yelled.
Claudette twirled around. She balled the hands at her sides in tight fists as her eyes narrowed. "But I'm still alive, and Ben is mine!" she shouted, glaring at her husband. "Now, more than ever!"
Gaston let out a snarl. "Get out of here," he snapped while grabbing his wife's right arm. He began to drag her out of the room and shoved her out into the hallway, following her out. Gaston locked the door behind him and turned to face his wife.
"Closing a door won't be enough, Gaston." She declared. "You can fool yourself all you like and pretend that the past never existed, but it will all catch up to you one day, and it will be your downfall!" She didn't wait for her husband to retort and stormed away.
A/N: So what do you think? The Black Arrow's assault didn't end up as they expected and Ben found out that it's not going to be so smooth sailing for him to join the group of outlaws. Godmother's backstory has been revealed and Mal's visions/daydreams about her past became more and more persistent. Did I mention that the first Bal scene of the chapter was my favorite to write ;)
Little side note: I know that these next chapters might seem a little like "fillers" with not much action happening but every scene is important as it builds up to the next, leading to the major events of the story.
I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter in a review. See ya all next week! All I'll say is to prepare yourselves for even more Bal as her visions intensify and all the parties deal with the consequences from the Black Arrow's attack on Gaston's convoy.