A/N: Welcome back! I'm sorry for the day delay in posting. Real life got in my way this week.
I suffered from a terrible writer's block this week and I'd like to thank my beta WanderlustandFreedom for her support in helping me through it.
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 Carvie16 (Chapter 10), SparkyGurly 227, AmethystDragon14 and Harry Poter Fan 1994 for having left a review for the last chapters. Feedback is always appreciated and is a great motivational boost for me to continue writing.
So in the last chapter, the Black Arrow attacked one of Gaston's convoys but it didn't end as well as the outlaws had anticipated while Ben continued to struggle to find his place within the group. In the meantime, Mal remained in the camp as Godmother's backstory was revealed and her past visions/nightmares became even more persistent. Gaston was summoned to Auroria following the news of Ben's rebellion and the Black Arrow's attacks in Auradon.
Now let's find out what happened in the aftermath of these last events...
Chapter 14
The late afternoon sky began to change color, taking on a reddish-orange shade. As the hours dragged on, a feeling of anxiety and uneasiness settled within the Black Arrow's camp. Robin and the rest of the outlaws had yet to return from the ambush on Gaston's convoy, and Mal hadn't moved from the wooden bench where Godmother had left her hours earlier. The princess kept her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she recalled the visions that had tormented her earlier.
"Mal," Godmother exclaimed as she appeared and rested a hand on her shoulder. Mal shook herself out of her daze. Her head snapped up to face a smiling Godmother, who'd returned to her side. "Robin and the rest have returned!"
The Fae princess twirled around to face the entrance of the camp and broke into a wide smile when she spotted an unharmed Ben dismounting his horse. The sight made her heart feel a little warmer as her foggy thoughts began to clear. Mal stood and hurried towards him.
Ben tied the reins of his horse to a wooden post and turned when a familiar voice called his name. "Mal!" he beamed. Ben hardly had any time to return the princess's smile before she engulfed him in a tight hug.
The pair embraced for a few moments before breaking apart. "Are you oka-?" Mal stopped mid-sentence as she noticed the bleeding cut on his left cheek. She turned pale and examined the rest of his body with a worried expression.
"I'm fine. Don't worry," Ben reassured her. "It's just a scratch. I got grazed by one of the soldier's swords during the fight."
Mal nodded, biting her lip. "Come on," she instructed, taking his wrist. "Let's get that cut cleaned up before it gets infected. I'll ask Godmother for some medication to treat it, and you can tell me what happened exactly." The princess led him and made him sit down at an empty table close by before rushing off in search of the weathered woman. Ben watched her sprint off and then return quickly with a large, brown bowl.
"Here," Mal announced, displaying the bowl of Echinacea leaf ointment. She sat down on the bench and rested the bowl on the table beside her. She pulled a clean cloth out of her pocket and a small water canteen, which she emptied on the rag and then used to clean the cut on Ben's face gently. "Now, tell me everything."
Mal remained silent as she continued to clean the prince's wound, listening intensely as the prince recounted all that had happened during the attack on the convoy. They remained in silence for a few moments until Ben let out a deep, heavy sigh. "Chad has been all over me ever since I've come to the camp."
Mal set the cloth aside and reached out for ointment. She dipped a finger into the bowl and carefully spread the balm over the still bleeding cut.
"I've been doing everything I can to prove to the other outlaws that I've truly turned against Gaston." Ben hissed and pulled his face away as Mal's finger brushed against the cut. "But with Chad, it's different."
"Stay still," she scolded before continuing to treat his wound. "You need to try and understand him, Ben. It's a little strange that the Prince of Auradon has changed sides so suddenly, turning against Gaston. Wouldn't you have had the slightest doubt?"
Ben frowned and knitted his eyebrows together. "Do you think that I should have killed that soldier even though he spared my life?" he asked.
"I…" Mal hesitated, looking away from him. "I don't know," the princess whispered, looking up and locking eyes with Ben.
The prince bowed his head, breaking the contact. "So, this is what being part of the Black Arrow means? Is there no end to all this violence and death?" he trailed off with a sigh.
Mal's expression softened, and she reached out to squeeze his right hand. Ben turned and leveled his gaze with her. "I don't know, Ben," the princess replied with a shake of her head. "But I don't like all this either."
Mal leaned forward a little. Ben's breath caught in his throat at her closeness as her intoxicating fragrance invaded his senses, making his stomach flutter and further igniting the fire flaring deep within him. On instinct, he lifted his arms and took her shoulders before he, too, leaned in.
The feeling of Ben's feather-light fingers on her shoulders caused Mal to lose all coherent thought. She stilled as the image of the prince was suddenly replaced by that of the smiling brown-haired man of her nightmares just before he squeezed her hands and fell to the ground unmoving. The princess blinked, snapping back to reality. Without uttering a word, she jerked her head to the side and recoiled away from Ben. All in one motion, she got to her feet and jumped away from him, staring in shock as Ben's face twisted in hurt.
Ben frowned. What had just happened? Mal had never pulled away from him in such a way. It was almost as if she was scared of him for some reason. "I'm sorry," he whispered, biting his lip in apprehension.
The princess didn't acknowledge him and instead stared at him with an unreadable look for a few long moments before she backed away and walked off.
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Later, Mal shifted position on her seat at the edge of the Black Arrow's encampment. Her lips pursed into a frown as her gaze followed Friar Tuck, who was dragging a hesitant Ben across the camp to join the other outlaws, who were dancing around the blazing campfire. Dusk had given way to night an hour ago, and the music from the lutes and tambourines echoed across the Black Arrow encampment. She watched him easily take up a place in the dance, with a young, dark-skinned girl becoming his partner as they whirled around in dizzying circles and clapped.
As the song ended, Ben stopped to catch his breath and let his eyes search the camp. A heavy weight settled on his chest when his eyes fell upon the Fae princess, who was sitting on a table, staring at her feet with stooped shoulders. Mal had been avoiding him ever since their talk that afternoon, but he could tell from her forlorn expression that something was on her mind. Ben squared his shoulders, made up his mind, walked up to her, and stopped at her side. She looked up at the sound of his approaching footsteps.
"Mal, why aren't you dancing?" he asked with a smile as the princess turned to greet him. "It's fun. Chad even showed me a few steps. I can teach you."
The princess lowered her gaze and stared at the ground. "All you need is a little beer, and you and Chad and the rest of outlaws are suddenly the best of friends," she chided in a stern tone.
Ben's smile faded at her accusatory tone. Only hours ago, she'd asked him to be patient with the blonde outlaw, and now she was rebuking him for trying to mend things with him. The prince sat beside her. "What's wrong, Mal?" he asked, hesitating for a moment before resting a comforting hand on her knee. "We decided to stay here with the Black Arrow."
"No, you chose to join the Black Arrow." She paused before looking back up at him. "I only decided to remain with you."
Ben's brow furrowed in worry. "Mal, I'm here because the Black Arrow is fighting for a just cause."
"Just for who?" she challenged, her voice rising in tone and catching Robin's attention, who was a few meters away from them.
"Mal, they're fighting to overthrow Gaston and put a stop to the war," Ben replied with a darkened expression.
"I think a group of drunkards are only capable of overthrowing a few pitchers of beer," she replied, locking eyes with the prince.
"I don't understand you, Mal," he mumbled.
"No, it's me who doesn't understand," Mal declared in a high-pitched angry tone. "I don't understand them, and I don't understand you, Ben. What is the Black Arrow? Are they outlaws? A band of vigilantes? What are they?"
"If the Black Arrow were an army, I would lead them to the gates of Auradon myself," Robin spoke up, interrupting Ben and Mal's spat. The pair twirled to face the newcomer. "And we would fight out our battle to the last breath I assure you," the archer declared. "But we're only a few, and the little we do is the only way I know of giving hope to the people of Auradon. Hope to those people who dream of someday living in a just and fair kingdom, free from any form of oppression." Robin let out a deep audible breath before walking away.
Mal breath caught in her throat when she felt Ben remove his hand from her knee. She turned to look at him and noticed the prince's gaze flicker between her and the back of the retreating archer. Silence fell between them, and Mal's chin began to tremble when Ben stood and abruptly turned on his heels, walking off to catch up with the leader of the Black Arrow.
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The early morning mist covered the forest as if a white cloud had landed onto the trees and blooming meadows surrounding the Black Arrow's camp. Mal looked down from the ledge overlooking the lake and sighed in relief when she spotted Ben standing on a boulder, throwing rocks into the clear pool of water. The knobbly pebbles pressed into the soles of her shoes as she left the ledge and made her way down towards him.
"Ben," she called, and the prince jerked around in her direction.
There was only an uncomfortable silence between them as they stared at each other, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry," the pair blurted out in unison before they started to laugh softly at each other.
Mal solemnized and turned away after a few moments, sighing before sitting down on the boulder beside Ben. She stared at cascade as the roar of the waters falling into the pool seemed to soothe her fraying nerves. Now the princess understood why Ben sought refuge near this lake whenever he needed to think or have a little time to himself; the place almost had an enchanted feel to it. "I'm sorry for shouting at you yesterday," she whispered, lowering her head to the ground.
"It's okay," Ben replied. His expression softened and gave her a little smile as he dropped down beside her. "Well, as children, we are always thought to tell the truth. You were only speaking your mind, Mal." Ben saw the princess purse her lips in doubt, and he shifted position, sitting on a boulder in front of her. "Mal, I've had time to think about what you said last night, and I think you're right. We need to aim high if we want to turn Robin's dream into reality."
Mal averted Ben's gaze and dipped her head to stare at her knees. "So, you don't think I should've kept certain thoughts to myself?" she asked.
"No, Mal," Ben whispered, reaching out for her chin and pulling her head towards him with a gentle tug. "You didn't do anything wrong." Ben's breath caught in his throat as Mal's piercing green eyes locked into his. "Trust me; you'll feel a lot better once you stop keeping everything bottled up inside of you." The prince's heart tightened in his chest when he noticed Mal's eyes widen in fear as her chin begin to tremble in his hand. He dropped his hand and let it rest on his knee but didn't move away from the princess. "What's wrong, Mal?" he asked in a hushed whisper. "It's as if you're afraid of me. I would never do anything to hurt you, I promise. I.." he paused. Doubt swirled around in his head, but he pushed it away.
"I've fallen in love with you," he confessed, searching her eyes for any sign of acceptance or rejection.
Mal kept a blank expression and watched Ben lean closer, enough for her to feel his warm breath beside her mouth. Her heart hammered, and as her eyes dropped to his mouth, a pleasant shiver ran down her spine. A slow smile dawned on the princess's face, and she wrapped her arms around Ben's neck to pull him closer. Ben touched his lips to hers, and Mal closed her eyes. Her lips parted with a soft sigh to deepen their first kiss. The world around Mal started to fade as she lost herself in the feel of his soft lips against her. Every nerve in her body came to life all at once with vivid electricity until Mal felt a sudden shift in her surroundings. The princess became aware of a wave of intense heat as it rushed over her, and she opened her eyes.
Mal found herself once again trapped in her own body and watched powerless as the images from her nightmares danced around her. The haunting image of the green lizard gave way to the sound of galloping horses as a group of knights appeared from a forest into a clearing. The scene shifted, and Mal saw herself as a child hurrying across a garden before rushing into a stone building and hiding behind a curtain. The cracking flames continued to burn around her, and Mal witnessed as Maleficent, her mother, drove a knife through her stomach while a towering knight loomed over her body.
"Mal! Mal!" Ben shouted in panic, rubbing Mal's arms vigorously. "Mal, it's me. Ben!" One moment the princess was returning his embrace, and the next, she started to shake violently in his arms before jerking away and curling herself into a ball with a vacant expression, covering her ears with her hands.
"Mum!" Mal gasped, her eyes wide in fear. Her head snapped up, and she continued to pant and gasp for breath.
"It's okay, Mal. It's over," Ben whispered in an attempt to soothe the distressed princess.
Mal blinked, jerking away from Ben's touch, and rose to her feet. "No, Ben, it's not!" she exclaimed, taking a few steps and turning away from him.
"Wait!" he called, following her. "Don't be afraid. I'm her-"The prince was unable to finish the phrase as Mal pulled herself out of his embrace and ran off in the direction of the camp.
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News of the Black Arrow's attack on one of Auradon's convoys didn't take long to reach the castle. Barely a day had passed since the attack when Lord Gaston decided to personally lead a small group of soldiers to the farmer's cottage.
Doug could feel his father's piercing gaze on his back, causing him to keep a straight face and stare directly at the scene unfolding before him, despite the loud pounding in his chest. A woman's cry split the air, and the young knight gripped the reins of his horse so hard that he could feel them turn white underneath his heavy gloves.
"No! Peter!" the farmer's wife screamed. Four soldiers held the woman and her son back while another two dragged the tied-up farmer across the clearing, leading him to a makeshift rope noose that hung ominously from a sturdy tree branch.
"Go!" Dopey's stern voice sounded at his side, and Doug turned to his father, nodding before dismounting his horse. Doug lowered his head, trying in vain to tune out the woman's loud pleas for mercy as he brushed past the soldiers who were holding the farmer off the ground as they tightened the noose around his neck. The young knight picked a log from a blazing fire on the ground and threw it inside the farmer's home. Flames, like tongues of fire, engulfed the farmhouse within seconds, burning the dwelling down to the ground.
Doug walked back to his horse, fighting the urge to cover his ears. He stilled, and swallowing the lump in his throat, stopped to stare at Lord Gaston. The ruler's gaze flickered between the large grey cloud of smoke high in the morning sky and the farmer's wife, who continued to beg for mercy. An amused and satisfied expression was stamped on his face.
The woman's pleading voice still echoed in Doug's head hours later when the party returned to Auradon Castle. The young knight rode across the central courtyard and stopped by the wayside. He dismounted his horse and tied it to the wooden post before taking a long, deep breath. Doug started to walk towards the steps leading to the armory a few meters away from him when his father and Captain Hook stopped beside him.
"Well done, son," Dopey stated, patting his son on the shoulder. A wide smile split Doug's face as he nodded and began to climb the first step when he caught Lonnie staring at him with a stern expression from across the courtyard. Doug stilled, letting Captain Hook pat his back in approval before turning to walk back across the yard. He reached the young maid who was busy lifting a bucket of water from the well.
"There's no need for you to look at me that way, Lonnie," Doug snapped.
"Your father always gets what he wants, doesn't he?" Lonnie replied with a tight-lipped frown.
"I know you're still thinking about Ben," he spat. "I was the one who helped him escape the dungeons by giving the keys to that Fae princess."
"You're his best friend, Doug." The young maid stated. "What're you going to do if you cross paths with him out there?"
"It's not my fault he joined that group of outlaws," Doug exclaimed, balling his fists. He then sighed, letting out a long, deep breath. "I'm a soldier, Lonnie," he replied with a shake of his hand. "I'll follow orders."
Lonnie looked at Doug with an incredulous stare, which narrowed into a glare as the young maid lowered her head and stormed off.
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Ben let out a frustrated sigh when his search for Mal across the Black Arrow's camp proved futile. The princess didn't want to be found, and so Ben decided to give her a few hours to herself after that's morning outburst. He couldn't deny or hide his deep concern for Mal's erratic behavior. If only she would open up to him. All the prince wanted to do was help her.
Ben was about to when he spotted Robin seated beside a table outside the archer's tent, sharpening some arrows. He approached him with cautious steps, determined to voice his thoughts about the previous night's confrontation with the Fae Princess. "Robin, I need to talk to you," Ben announced.
"Sit down," Robin replied with a stern tone, still irritated by Mal's accusations.
"It's about what Mal said last night," Ben began, taking a seat across from the seasoned archer. "I've thought about it all night, and I believe that there's some truth in her words, Robin."
Robin lowered the arrows in his hands onto the table and stared at Ben squarely in the eyes. "You're free to leave this camp whenever you like."
"That's not why I'm here," Ben replied with a shake of his head. "I have an idea."
The archer sighed. "So, what is it?" Robin asked.
"King Stefan holds a war council at Auroria's castle at the end of every month. All the Eastern leaders attend this," Ben explained. "All we need to do to end this war is to attack the castle and capture them."
"Have you gone mad, Ben?" Robin exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Auroria's castle is an impenetrable fortress!"
"That's what everyone believes, but there's a way," Ben replied. "Auroria's castle, much like Auradon, was built by the Knights of Rodegan. Mal and I used an underground tunnel system of old dungeons to escape from Gaston's prison."
"So," Robin pressed, his eyebrows raised in curiosity.
"Those tunnels aren't only a means of escape," he argued. "They're also a means of access. All we need are the maps of the castle's foundations, and we'll attack Auroria from underneath the castle."
"You want to steal the maps from the Knights of Rodegan's Monastery?" Robin inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Robin," Ben exclaimed. "We can do this. It will be months before they realize the maps are gone if we cover our tracks well."
"No," the archer replied with a shake of his head. "It's too dangerous. We've only prepared ambushes in the past, and I'm not ready to put my men's life on the line. I'm sorry Ben,"
"Robin! Robin!" Chad shouted, running up to the pair. The blonde stopped and rested his hand on his knees as he caught his breath.
"What is it, Chad?" Robin asked.
"The farmer Peter," Chad panted, still out of breath. "Gaston's men killed him and burnt down his house."
The color drained from Ben's face. He sucked in a breath as the world stilled around him.
"Let's go!" Robin ordered, bringing the prince back to the present. The leader of the black arrow rose to his feet in an instant and picked up his bow and quiver of arrows. "There's no time to waste!"
Ben staggered a few steps before turning on his heels and followed the archer.
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Mal ran a comb through her wet purple hair and stared at the ripples in the clear freshwater of the lake, holding her hand close to her heart. Images from her nightmares continued to dance in her head, and the gentle water ripples slowly began to smooth themselves out until an image of Maleficent appeared before the princess's eyes. 'Mal! Mal!' she called out to her with open arms. 'Mal, let's play.'
"Mal!" a female voice suddenly rang out behind her, and the young Fae jumped and twirled around, startled.
"Audrey!" Mal exclaimed in a shaky whisper as she tried to regulate her breathing. The princess stood up to greet the brown-haired outlaw. "I didn't hear you coming."
"I'm sorry," Audrey replied. "I didn't mean too. Here, let me help you with that," she offered, taking the comb from Mal's hand, and turning the princess around began to comb her short purple locks.
Silence engulfed the pair until Audrey stopped beside Mal's right shoulder. "How far are you willing to go?" Audrey paused. "Don't you realize they're going to end up killing each other?"
Mal's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Ouch!" Mal cried and clenched her eyes shut at the pain in her scalp as Audrey pulled a lock of her hair.
King Stefan's granddaughter turned around and glared at the princess. "I'm talking about Chad and Ben. They've both fallen in love with you! Don't act like you haven't noticed," Audrey hissed. "Are you leading them on just to satisfy your vanity?"
"But I.." Mal stuttered.
"Now listen to me carefully, princess!" Audrey spat. "Keep your precious Ben," she exclaimed, reaching out for Mal's hand and shoving the comb into her palm. "But stay away from Chad." Audrey shot her one last icy glare and walked off.
"You don't need to tell me," Mal called out to the retreating outlaw. "I….love Ben."
Audrey spun around. "Good!" she exclaimed. "Then you better start showing it!" she retorted, making her way up towards the ledge.
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It was a mournful silence that fell upon the group of outlaws when the members of the Black Arrow arrived at Peter's farm, broken only by the cracking of the dying fire. Ben looked on at the grim scene in front of him, horror-stricken. He felt like his throat had been ripped out of his body. The fire had burnt the farmer's house almost entirely to the ground, leaving only the central pillar and parts of the wall. The vast smoke haze still hung across the clearing, burning the prince's lungs.
Robin was the first of the outlaws to move as he dismounted his horse and walked up to the lifeless body of the farmer, who was still hanging from the tree branch. The archer got hold of the dead farmer's waist and lifted him. Ben blinked and rode up to the leader of the Black Arrow. He drew out a knife from his side and cut through the noose, which had kept the limp body of the farmer secured to the tree. The farmer's head sagged against Robin's shoulder, and the archer carried him a few steps before kneeling on the ground and gently lowering the farmer's body. Peter's wife and son approached them with cautious steps before falling beside the archer, holding each other as the farmer's wife began to weep.
Robin took a deep breath, trying to hold himself together. The archer felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned and looked up to level his gaze with Friar Tuck. He nodded and stood up without uttering a word, giving his spot to the monk who gave him the last blessing. Robin began to walk away to his horse but stilled when the farmer's wife's voice called out to him.
"Lord Gaston himself told us to leave him hanging for three days as a warning to anyone who dared to defy him," the woman blurted in a broken voice. She slowly rose to her feet and walked up to the leader of the Black Arrow before getting reaching out for his hand. "Put a stop to all of this, I beg you!" she pleaded.
The leader of the Black Arrow managed to swallow the thickness in his throat and squeezed the woman's hand in both of his. "It won't happen to anyone else, ever again. I promise!" Robin declared, nodding his head. His eyes gleamed fire.
"Let's go!" Robin ordered, turning on his heel and walking up to his horse.
The farmer's son rose to his feet and engulfed his mother in a tight hug as the woman reached him, and the pair watched as the outlaws rode away towards the forest before disappearing.
A/N: So what do you think? Bal shared their first kiss but Mal's nightmares continue to weigh heavily on the princess. To use a medieval term, Gaston has now thrown a gauntlet at the Black Arrow. Could Robin decide to go through with Ben's idea given the promise he's just made to the farmer's wife. You'll have to tune in next week to find out!
I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter in a review. See ya all next weekend! One of my best friends is getting married next weekend and it's very likely that I'll be delaying the update to Sunday instead of Saturday. But keep your eyes on this space for updates :)