A/N: Welcome back! So I've managed to get a chapter ready before all the weekend events take over my life but it's going to be a little short. I'll try to make up for it next week.
I'd 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 fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night for having left a review for the last chapter. Feedback is always appreciated and is a great motivational boost for me to continue writing.
AmethystDragon14: I thought so much of you when writing the Bal scene. I'm really happy that you liked it :) I'm sorry that the flashback ruined the scene a little but Mal's past will become central to the story moving forward. But if you want a full love confession, I suggest you continue reading :D
fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night: I'm so happy you're enjoying this story. Reviews like yours give me a great boost to continue writing. I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
So in the last chapter, Bal shared their first kiss but the moment was 'ruined' by one of Mal's daydreams as the visions of her past continue to haunt the princess. In the meantime Ben came up with a plan that might end the war just as the Black Arrow received news that Gaston had killed the farmer Peter as retaliation for their attack on his convoy.
Chapter 15
Robin called for a meeting as soon as he'd returned from Peter's farm, and the members of the Black Arrow gathered around the camp's main table to listen to what their leader had to say. A loud murmur echoed around the table, like the buzz of wasps in their nest, as the outlaws discussed the rumor that Robin intended to steal the maps from the Knights of Rodegan's Monastery and use them to infiltrate Auroria's castle. Silence fell on the group when Robin emerged from his tent, followed by Ben. Robin took a seat at the head of the table and flicked his gaze around.
"Robin, are the rumors true?" Friar Tuck asked. "You intend to steal the maps from the Knights of Rodegan's Monastery?"
"Yes, Tuck. That's what I intend on doing," Robin stated, voice laced with conviction.
Loud murmurs of disapproval burst from the group. Ben took a step forward. "We'll be able to sneak into Auroria's castle and mount a surprise attack with the help of those maps," he explained firmly, his head held high as he stared at the other outlaws.
"No," Little John replied with a shake of his head. "This is madness."
"Robin, have you lost your mind?" Another outlaw sitting beside Little John cried out. "These are the Knights of Rodegan you're talking about."
"It would be madness if we wasted such an opportunity!" Mal exclaimed.
Audrey glanced at Chad sitting beside her and growled when she noticed the blonde staring at Mal with a mesmerized expression. "Say something, Chad," she sneered, elbowing his side. "Stop this madness."
Chad blinked, shifting position to face his girlfriend. His gaze moved from Audrey to the other outlaws around him. "Mal's right!" he exclaimed. Audrey's lips flattened. Her expression hardened, and her face flushed.
"What other alternatives do we have?" Chad argued, rising to his feet. "Look at what happened to that poor farmer. Gaston has openly challenged us, and I, for one, am not going to back down."
The loud murmurs lowered to hushed whispers. "Anyone against?" Robin asked, his gaze flickering across the table. Someone pushed their chair away abruptly. All eyes turned to look at Marian as she stood and stormed away towards her tent. The archer swallowed and focused on a tree straight ahead, trying to ignore his churning stomach. "Tuck?" he asked.
The friar shook his head. "You're all mad," he replied before letting out a sigh. "But if we weren't crazy, we wouldn't be here in the first place," His eyes crinkled before a smile tugged at his lips.
"It's decided then!" Robin exclaimed.
Robin rose to his feet and turned on his heels, heading straight for the tent where Marian had vanished. The archer opened the flap and went through, stopping beside the opening to search the inside for his love. "Marian," he called, his eyes falling on the huddled figure of his partner on their makeshift bed. He walked up to her, sitting on the bed beside her, and resting a hand on her arm. "We're never going to get our lives back without a definite victory against Stefan and Gaston," Robin stated in a hushed tone.
Marian sat up and locked eyes with the archer. "And what if this victory never comes?" she challenged in a stern tone. "Did you ever stop to think about that?"
"It will come. I'm sure," Robin replied with a determined gleam in his eyes.
Marian sighed. "I know how this mission has become your life, and I don't want you to give up, but I'm tired, Robin. I want a family and a roof above my head." She paused while raising her hands and resting them on his broad chest. "And I want it now and not in a distant future. I'm your partner, Robin, not your mistress," she spat. Robin lowered his gaze to face the ground beneath his feet, and Marian pulled away from him as her eyes brightened with unshed tears. "Am I even important to you?"
"Of course you are," Robin replied.
"Then why didn't you ask me to marry you?" she asked in a shaky whisper. Silence engulfed the pair until the brown-haired woman turned around and stormed out of the tent.
Marian took a deep breath as soon as she exited the tent she shared with Robin. She spotted Ben a few meters away from her, snacking on some fruit beside one of the tables. Marian walked up to the prince. "Why didn't you remain in Auradon?" she asked in a stern tone, taking his right arm and spinning him around to face her.
The prince jumped, startled by Marian's sudden arrival, and swallowed before quickly recomposing himself. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"You come along, and suddenly we're planning to attack King Stefan's castle," she replied.
"The surprise attack on Auroria is our only hope to end this war once and for all," Ben argued, catching the fear reflected in the woman's wide eyes.
"Mmph. It shows that you're royalty. You think big!" She spat before lowering her voice to whisper. "But these are the people I care about, the only family I have."
Ben's expression softened, and he took the woman's arms. "I care for them too, Marian. I'd give up my life to protect them," the prince reassured her.
"Be careful, Ben." She whispered. "You all need to be careful. I beg you."
"I promise, Marian. I won't let anything happen to Robin," the prince replied, squeezing the woman's arms in comfort.
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Ben hadn't managed to sleep that night as Mal's erratic behavior and Marian's words weighed on his heart. The princess was clearly in pain, and all he wanted to do was help ease her torment…if only Mal would open up to him.
Image after image of Robin's death haunted his fitful sleep, so when dawn broke, the prince finally gave up tossing and turning. Ben decided to take a short walk to try to clear his head. Was Marian, right? Was it all madness? Lost in thought as he was, the prince didn't realize that he'd made his way to the waterfall until he stopped at the tip of the ledge. He looked down at the bottom and stared at the spraying water as it smashed against the rocks.
The light morning mist covering the ground twirled and twisted around him almost hypnotically until his gaze fell on the familiar figure of the Fae princess. She was floating on the edge of the lake and appeared unconscious. Ben stilled. He could feel the blood starting to pound in his temples. "Mal!" he shouted before dashing down the ledge. "Mal!" The princess didn't move. Ben arrived at the edge of the pool and jumped in.
Ben swam to the princess's side and nearly jumped out of his skin when Mal's eyes snapped open. She was alive. Mal began to thrash around in panic. Ben grabbed her arms and began to murmur in her ear as he started to pull her towards the shore. There, they both collapsed, taking long, deep breaths. Ben looked around him and, spotting a little rock alcove, scooped Mal up into his arms. The princess buried her head in the crook of Ben's neck as the prince carried her to the little cave. Ben gently laid her against the side of the alcove, and Mal rested her head against the rocky wall as she watched him walk away in silence. He returned a moment later with her discarded blanket, which she'd dropped on a rock, and a pile of dry wood. He immediately started to work on lighting a fire to warm them up.
"Ben," Mal finally whispered, breaking the silence. The crackling flames of the fire began to warm the small shelter. Satisfied with his work, Ben picked up the blanket at his side and joined the princess. "I…" Mal stammered, locking eyes with the prince.
"How are you feeling?" Ben whispered. "You scared me, Mal. For a moment, I thought you were dead." He paused to wrap the dry blanket around her. "I know something is tormenting you, Mal. Help me understand. I love you, and I can't stand to see you hurting like this anymore. What are these daydreams about, and why do you flinch around me? Why are you afraid of me?"
Mal shook her head. "I'm not afraid of you, Ben. I…love you too," she confessed, leaning closer to him. "I've," Mal stammered. "I've been dreaming about my parents' death ever since we've been to the Moors," she admitted in a shaky whisper before looking away. Ben stilled in sudden realization, finally beginning to understand the reason behind her strange behavior. "They were killed, and I know I was there that day, but all I can see are these disjointed images that don't make any sense. All I can make out is this shadow of a dark, looming knight. It's as if I'm alone, trapped in a body which isn't mine, and all I can do is watch, powerless, from a distance." A wave of nausea washed over her, and the princess felt her head spinning so fast she could almost feel herself falling into the dark abyss of unconsciousness.
"Mal," Ben turned her head towards him. "It's okay to be afraid sometimes, you know, but you're not alone. I'm right here, and I'll do anything to help you." Mal began to tremble as her eyes brightened, and Ben pulled her towards him, enfolding her tenderly into his arms. Mal listened to the steady beating of his heart and leaned further into his touch, lulled by the sudden sense of warmth which entered her soul. Being around the prince made her feel safe. Mal was sure that Ben would never judge her or deem her weak for openly displaying her feelings. Before she even realized it, tears began to fall from her eyes. Mal let out a soft sob, and Ben pulled her tighter against him. He began to run a soothing hand across her back, allowing the princess to let out all of her pent up emotions and fears. When the shaking started to subside, Ben rubbed away the last of her tears.
Mal's gaze never wavered from Ben's gentle and warm eyes as his hand dropped to her shoulder. "Ever since I've been reliving my parent's murder, I've felt like I've been stuck in the past. I know these dreams are trying to tell me something important, and I'm never going to find peace until I discover what it is," she whispered.
"I don't know if it's important, but a while ago, Doug told me something about your parent's death," Ben revealed.
"What did he tell you?" Mal asked in a shaky whisper.
"Rumors say that your parents weren't killed in the Moors, but they were hiding in Grimsville at the time," the prince recounted.
Ben watched in silence as Mal's eyes took on a faraway look before she sagged against the wall of the cave. The prince engulfed her in his arms, running a soothing hand through her wet hair as Mal tightened her hold on him and buried her head into his chest.
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Outside Arthur's office chambers, Lancelot balled his hand in a fist and knocked on the grand oak door, gazing at the elaborate, curled metal decorating its side as he waited to be summoned inside. One of the guards stationed in the room opened the door, and the captain let himself in, walking up to the king who was standing in the center of the room in front of his desk with Merlin and Duchess Uma at his side.
"Any news of Mal, Lancelot?" Arthur asked.
Lancelot shook his head and watched the king take a deep breath before running a hand through his hair. "I suppose she's remained with the Black Arrow. Unfortunately, I've only heard rumors," the captain revealed.
"There are insistent rumors that Prince Benjamin of Auradon has joined the group of outlaws and that it was Princess Mal herself who helped him escape Auradon's prison," Uma jumped in.
Arthur's gaze leveled with Merlin's, and he let out a sigh. "At least it seems she's made it out of Auradon unharmed," he reflected as a small smile found its way across his face. "That girl is going to be the death of me, but that's just the way she is, fearless and untameable."
"Just like her mother," Merlin commented. No one missed the sad tone in his voice. The king's expression then turned solemn, and his brows knitted together in worry.
"Gaston has spent years searching for the Black Arrow in vain. He's never managed to find them. Why should he manage to do it now?" Uma reassured the worried ruler.
"I hope you're right, Duchess," Arthur exclaimed. "Now I'd like to be left alone," he ordered. "But inform me straight away should there be any news."
Uma, Lancelot, and Merlin bowed to the king and made their way to the door. "Merlin, wait," Arthur called. "I need to discuss another matter with you." The elder Fae nodded and returned to Arthur's side as Uma and Lancelot left the room.
"What is it, Arthur?" Merlin asked.
"I want you to find the Black Arrow's camp and convince Mal to return to Camelot," Arthur declared. "I know there must be a good reason why she's not returned to the castle and that she's not a child anymore, but it's too dangerous for her to remain out there, so near Gaston's reach."
"I'll leave straightway for the East, Arthur. I'll try my best to convince her, but you know how hard-headed she is. It won't be an easy task," he exclaimed with a sigh. He nodded and spun around, making his way towards the door.
Outside the room, Uma followed Lancelot as the pair walked through the corridor leading to the main gate. The captain dropped one of his gloves to the ground, and the Duchess bent down to pick it up, her eye falling on the elegant coat of arms sewn on the garment. "Captain, wait," she called out.
"Yes," he replied, twirling around.
"Your glove," she replied, returning the item.
"Thank you, Duchess," he smiled.
"To what royal family do you belong to, captain?" Uma asked, stepping beside the captain as they continue walking. Lancelot's brow furrowed in confusion. "The coat of arms sewn on your glove speaks on your behalf," the Duchess explained.
"This coat of arms is all I have left from my family's heritage," the captain replied, a hint of sadness in his voice. "I was a soldier of fortune, and I slowly worked my way up to where I am today."
"It must not have been easy," Uma commented.
"No, it wasn't, but my hard work and effort will soon pay off. Arthur has promised to give me some lands to govern once this war is over," Lancelot revealed.
"Lands," she paused. "So, that's what you truly desire."
"Are you surprised?" Lancelot asked with a raised eyebrow. "A person's nobility and heritage remain intact even when he's lost everything."
"Of course," Uma replied with a smile. "There's no doubt about that. Arthur is a noble ruler, and I'm sure he intends to keep his promise. But the key to winning this war, Princess Mal, is in the eastern lands. Have you stopped to think about what will happen if we do not win this war? Who will give you the lands you desire with such intensity if the princess is captured and Arthur is defeated?"
"I…" the captain stammered.
"Forgive me for sounding negative," the Duchess replied. "I'm sure it will not come to that, and the princess will return safely to the castle in the coming days." Silence followed. "Oh, I forgot!" Uma exclaimed. "Excuse me, captain. I need to return to my living quarters. There's something I must do." The Duchess turned on her heels. She began walking in the direction of the stairs leading to the higher levels of the castle.
Lancelot watched her walk away, and his lips pressed together in a grimace, carefully considering the Duchess's words as they cast a shadow of doubt over Arthur's capability of keeping his promise. What the captain failed to notice was the wide smirk that split Uma's face as she walked away, a plan forming in her head.
A/N: So what do you think? The plan is set and the Black Arrow intend to steal the maps while Uma continues to secretly scheme against our heroes. Mal has shared her dreams with Ben as the pair grow closer and closer together. All I can say is to watch out for the next week's chapter as Mal's past will be revealed.
I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter in a review. See ya all next weekend!