A/N: Hey :) I'm back after my short break with a new chapter.
First of all a special thank you goes to my beta Wanderlustandfreedom. I know I'm always repeating myself but I wouldn't have been able to write this story (particularly these last few chapters) without her precious help and continued support.
I'd also like to thank everyone who's been reading my story. Every new fav and follow means so much to me. Thank you to SparkyGurly 227, AmethystDragon14, fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night, Carvie16 and Harry Potter 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.
AmethystDragon14: You have no idea of how wide my smile was when I read your review. That was the exact reaction I was expecting :D
fresh-BLOOD-was-drawn-2night: I'm so glad you're liking my story, especially the Bal connection I'm trying to portray. This is an AU story which diverges from the canon universe so making Bal's love story believable and likeable was one of my main objectives. As for Chad and Audrey...you might be on to something there...
SparkyGurly 227: Your review filled me with so much motivation! Thank you so much for finding the time to always leave me your comments, despite being so busy.
Carvie16: Wow! You know I love and admire your work - I'm so overwhelmed by your reaction to my story. I can't wait to see what you think of the future chapters as the plot continues to thicken.
Harry Potter Fan 1994: I've missed your reviews and precious feedback - so glad that you're back :) Thank you for all the compliments and well done yourself for having caught the foreshadowing I planted inside the chapter ;)
Okay guys. So in the last few chapters we've been focusing on our heroes - Mal's past has been revealed, Bal have declared their love to each other while the Black Arrow are ready to sneak into the Knights Monastery to steal the maps. But what has been happening in Auradon in the meantime? It is time to find out...
Chapter 18
It had now been three weeks since Ben had discovered the truth about his father's murder and left Auradon, escaping from its dungeons after being imprisoned for attacking Gaston. Three weeks that Claudette had refused to leave her room. The weathered woman spent her hours sitting by the window's ledge, staring outside with a blank expression in the hopes of seeing her adopted son walk through the castle's gates.
Lord Gaston's wife heard the creak and scrape of the door behind her but didn't bother to turn around. She continued to stare at the castle's courtyard below her. Ben hadn't returned, and that meant that it either Gaston or one of the castle's servants had come to bring her food. Not that it mattered. It had been days since she'd last been hungry. Claudette let out a deep, pained sigh.
Lonnie stopped by the door, careful to balance the heavy tray in her hands. Her eyes hardened and she took a deep breath to slow her quickened pulse. Lonnie had been lucky enough to avoid crossing paths with Auradon's rulers for the last few weeks, but when the head cook had ordered her to bring lunch to Claudette's room that morning, the maid knew she had no choice but to obey. Lonnie hoped she'd be able to control her anger and avoid lashing out at the people who'd made Ben suffer so much. Who had left him no choice but to run away from the only home he'd ever known.
Lonnie's muscles tightened as her eyes flickered up and down the still, slender frame of Ben's adopted mother. The woman was unrecognizable, and Lonnie felt part of her anger melt away. Her mouth went dry. Claudette's cheeks had become sunken, and her clothes hung loosely on her frame. She must have lost at least fifteen pounds. Lonnie was unable to hold the shocked gasp that escaped her throat, but Claudette didn't acknowledge her presence. The woman's eyes, dull and lifeless, remained fixed on the window glass in front of her. There'd been rumors around the castle that their ruler hadn't been herself ever since Ben left, but Lonnie had brushed them aside as being meaningless gossip. Unlike the other servants, Lonnie knew the truth. Gaston had killed King Adam, and Lady Claudette was his wife – she must have known the truth all along. They'd lied to Ben all this time and raised him as their son. She'd always been envious of how, unlike her, the orphaned prince had been lucky enough to find a new family after his father's death. But it had all been a lie. Lonnie's heart broke at the thought of what Ben must be going through at the moment, wherever he was.
As Lonnie walked up to Claudette, she noticed the untouched breakfast tray at her side. The maid cleared her throat, finally deciding to make her presence known. "Lady Claudette," she called in a clipped voice. "I've brought you your lunch." Claudette's gaze remained fixed straight ahead, and Lonnie couldn't suppress the sudden tightness she felt in her chest as her gaze fell on the woman's glazed, hollow expression. If Lonnie didn't know any better, she'd think that the woman felt genuine remorse over what they'd done to Ben.
Lonnie blinked and rested the lunch tray on the empty cabinet beside the woman. The maid wordlessly picked up the untouched breakfast serving dish and turned to walk away. She'd almost made it to the door when Claudette's soft, broken voice rang out in the otherwise quiet room.
"Wait," the matriarch croaked out.
Lonnie stilled, taking a sharp intake of breath. The maid spun around and walked back to Claudette, clearing her throat. "Do you need anything, my lady?" she asked.
A few moments of awkward silence followed as Claudette continued to stare at the glass window. Lonnie began to bite her lip, unsure of what to do.
"You were his good friend Lonnie, weren't you?" the matriarch suddenly blurted out.
Lonnie stiffened, wanting nothing more than to flee from the room. "Yes, my lady," she whispered.
"Then you know what it's like to miss his smile, his laughter," Claudette stated in a hushed tone. "He's never been away from home this long. Do you think he's okay? I'll die if something happens to him," she declared as she turned her head towards the maid.
Lonnie was about to retort in anger but froze, unable to utter a single word, when her gaze locked with Claudette's. Tears began to fall from the Lady's eyes and stream down her cheeks but her gaze remained blank and unfocused. Lonnie looked away. She couldn't make herself take a second glance into Claudette's dead eyes any longer.
"If only I could see him, talk to him one last time and tell him how sorry I am for having lied to him all this time." Claudette buried her head in her hands as heavy sobs wracked her body. "My life has become meaningless," she croaked. "With Ben gone, I don't have anything left to live for. I'd give anything, even my life, for a chance to make things right."
Claudette stopped speaking as uncontrolled and unrestrained sobs shuddered throughout her body, causing Lonnie's features to soften and her heart to begin hammering in her chest. A pained look found its way on the maid's face, doubt beginning to find its way in her soul. Were Claudette's words sincere? Was she sorry for all the lies and the pain they'd caused Ben? Lonnie began to fiddle with the ring Ben had given her as a child. What would the prince do if he was here? Would he stop to listen to what Claudette had to say…would he give her a second chance?
Lonnie squared her shoulders as she made her decision. "I know where Ben might be hiding," she blurted out.
- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- THE BLACK ARROW ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴-
On the other side of Auradon, Gaston had just arrived at the secluded stone cabin, unaware of the sudden spark which had finally returned to Claudette's eyes. The Lord removed his thick woolen doublet and left it discarded on one of the armchairs before walking up to Uma. The aqua-haired woman was facing an open cabinet, her back to him. The Lord watched with a furrowed brow as she took out an item of clothing and twirled around to greet him.
"What are those gloves?" the Lord asked, his eyes narrowing on the accessories held in her outstretched hand. Gaston noticed the coat of arms sewn on the gloves. They must belong to a nobleman.
"These gloves are proof that we've got Arthur's life in our hands," Uma smirked.
Gaston snorted. "I don't have time to waste, Uma. I don't believe in miracles!"
Uma began to walk towards him with slow, deliberate steps and gave him a coy smile. "These gloves belong to Sir Lancelot." She stopped, offering him the gloves. Gaston took them and examined them for a moment before returning his gaze to Uma. "He's the knight in charge of Arthur's security guard," she continued.
Gaston nodded and leaned towards her, clearly intrigued. "Sir Lancelot belongs to a noble family who've lost all their wealth," the Duchess explained. Her lips stretched into a smirk. "But luckily for us, he's a proud, ambitious man." Uma circled Gaston and stopped in front of the lord, beginning to fiddle with the front ties of her tunic. "Lancelot dreams of reclaiming his lands and getting back his family's former glory. And I promised them to him," She paused. "In exchange, he'll open Camelot's doors to the assassin, who you'll send to kill Arthur."
Uma locked gazes with the Lord and her lips curved into a provocative smirk that made Gaston's heart quicken. She unfastened her tunic and let the garment slide off her frame to a heap at her feet, leaving the Duchess in her undergarments. Uma closed the space between her and Gaston and brought her head to his ear. "Do you believe in miracles now?" she whispered, before lifting her head to look at him.
Gaston groaned, his eyes dark with desire, as he felt her warm breath tickle his skin. A shudder of pleasure cursed through him. He dropped the gloves, which he still held in his hands and seized her shoulders. With her provoking claim still lingering between them, Gaston pulled Uma towards him with a rough tug. He leaned down and his mouth began to bruise hers with an urgent and greedy demand. Uma dug her fingers into his broad shoulders as her mouth opened against his. Gaston's every sense intensified, directed solely at the Duchess, drowning into her taste, touch and smell. Unable to put two coherent thoughts together, the lord instinctively lowered his hands to the curve of her backside and lifted Uma off the ground. Gaston began to carry the Duchess across the room, towards the bed, as his world blended into an anonymous blur of colors until it faded away into a hazy nothingness.
- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- THE BLACK ARROW ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴-
A great calmness fell upon the Black Arrow's camp the night before the attack on the Knights of Rodegan's Monastery. Despite the dangerous mission they were about to undertake, the outlaws felt a sense of pride and feeling of togetherness as they gathered around their leader and readied the weapons he'd required for the mission.
Robin held the flap of his tent with one hand as he entered. He smiled at his wife, who was sitting on their makeshift bed, brushing her hair. The archer rested his bow onto one side and began to walk towards her. Robin didn't fail to notice that Marian's smile suddenly disappeared, and she pressed her lips together in a tight, thin line.
"You've always told me that whoever enters that Monastery doesn't make it out alive," Marian whispered, a definite tremble in her voice.
Robin stopped mid-stride. "I know," he acknowledged before his expression softened. "But it doesn't mean that I'm always right in everything. Isn't that what you always tell me?" he quipped with a raised eyebrow. "Besides, we've come up with a great plan." The archer approached Marian and sat down beside her, taking hold of both her hands in his. "You'll see," he smiled, lowering his mouth to kiss her knuckles tenderly.
"Do you remember how it all began?" he asked with a gentle smile, looking directly into Marian's eyes.
"Of course I remember," Marian smiled back.
"It was a cloudless night, like tonight," Robin continued. "And we were all around a campfire, and you chose our name."
"The Black Arrow," Marian whispered, grinning. Her expression took on a faraway look. "No one dared object," she quipped. "I'll never forget the awed expressions that were stamped on your faces that day."
"Our goal has always been one," Robin stated as he began to trace soft circles across Marian's knuckles. "To take back our lives," he murmured. "I want everything you want, Marian - a house, a family," Robin declared.
Marian's eyes brightened as her mouth stretched into a wide smile. She removed her hands from Robin's grip and raised them to his face, cupping his cheeks. She pulled the archer towards her and captured his lips with her own. All she'd ever wanted was there, finally within their reach.
- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- THE BLACK ARROW ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴- ̴-
Rose-tinted greys had begun to color the predawn skies when Claudette arrived at the edge of the small forest. She dismounted her horse and tied the animal to the trunk of a tree before stepping into the dark and soft atmosphere of woods. The black trunks of the trees around her appeared spectral in the early morning mist, which spread around her like a blue-grey blanket and shut the wooded area almost entirely from view. The matriarch shivered as she made her way through the trees, careful not to make any noise while stepping on the carpet of soaked leaves underneath her feet. There was complete silence around her apart from the occasional call of a bird.
Claudette made it to the clearing, home to the Black Arrow's camp, just as the first rays of the morning sun suffused the area with a soft rust-red glow. The woman walked across the outside perimeter of the encampment with slow and careful steps, occasionally stopping to examine the tents. She stilled outside of an open tent, her eyes lighting up when she spotted Ben asleep on one of the makeshift beds. His arm was drooped protectively around a girl with short, purple hair who was curled into his chest. That must be the Moorland princess, she thought. Claudette was unable to control the tears that began to fall from her eyes.
"Ben," she croaked. The prince stirred but didn't wake. "Ben!" she repeated a little louder, finding her voice.
Ben groaned and slowly opened his eyes, squinting against the morning light. He looked around him, disoriented, trying to clear his fogged mind. Had something woken him up? The gentle morning mist blanked the entrance of his open tent, and it took his eyes a few moments to sharpen. Ben straightened himself, instantly awake when he recognized the familiar feminine figure standing at the foot of his bed. "Mother," he stuttered. Mal didn't stir and remained asleep by his side. Ben untangled himself from the princess and gently lowered her to the bed, careful not to wake her, before rising and walking up to his adopted mother. He could only stare at her with wide eyes and an open mouth as he took the small steps he needed to reach her.
"Mother," Claudette repeated, more tears making their way down her cheeks. "You still call me mother after all that I've done?"
Ben continued to stare at her, his eyes flickering over her frame in disbelief. As the initial shock started to wear off, the prince finally noticed her thin, sunken features and the worried expression etched across his face. "What happened to you? Are you sick?" he whispered, his throat suddenly dry.
Claudette's lips stretched into a small, awed smile despite the flood of tears staining her cheeks. The concerned tone in Ben's voice warmed her soul, and the woman resisted the urge to reach out and embrace her son. "No, I'm not sick, sweetheart," she replied.
Silence fell between them until Ben continued. "How did you find the camp?"
"Lonnie and Carlos told me where I could find you," she explained.
Ben looked around him, searching for his childhood friend. "Are you alone?" he asked in a hushed tone.
Claudette nodded. "Gaston would kill me if he knew I was here. But I don't care. I'm not afraid of either him or death anymore," She paused. "You're all that matters to me. I had to see you," she stated, reached for her side. Claudette pulled out a small dagger and offered it to the prince. "Take it, Ben," she instructed. "Do what you have to do, son. You've got every reason to hate me. I lied to you. I was weak. I should've found the courage to tell you the truth but I was too afraid to lose you. I wish I could go back and fix my mistakes but I know I can't. I don't deserve your forgiveness," Claudette dropped her gaze to the ground in shame.
Ben stared at Claudette, speechless, processing her words. He eyed the blade, and his stomach churned, twisting and tying together in knots until all the pain dissolved as his heart began to pound in his chest. Memories of his childhood swam through his head. The prince felt all the traces of anger towards Claudette melt away - he could never hurt her, despite all the lies. She was the only mother he'd ever known. He instinctively reached for the blade. Claudette lifted her head.
"I can't hurt you. You're my mother. I've always loved you," Ben whispered, his voice beginning to tremble. He paused for a few moments. "I still do, despite everything."
Claudette's hands began to shake, and the blade fell to the earthen ground. Her eyes brightened and a sob escaped her throat. She raised a hand to cup his right cheek tenderly. "You have a kind and pure heart, Ben. Don't let anyone or anything ever change that."
Ben's expression hardened as the underlying meaning of her words hit him. "I'll never be able to forgive the man who killed my father."
"I know, son," Claudette replied, withdrawing her hand. "But when that moment comes, stop and listen to your heart."
There was a sudden rustling of leaves, and both heads turned to look at Ben's side. Mal appeared, stopping beside the prince and shooting him a worried glance before turning to face the weathered woman with a stern, guarded look.
"Are you Princess Mal?" Claudette asked before reaching up to wipe her tears away.
Mal stiffened and turned to look at Ben for guidance. She'd heard part of their conversation and had figured out this woman was Claudette, Gaston's wife and Ben's adopted mother. Could she trust her with her identity? The prince lowered his head in approval and gave Mal a little smile. "Yes," she confirmed.
The matriarch smiled at the exchange. "Thank you for helping my son escape from Auradon's dungeons. You saved his life and I'll forever be in your debt. You must care for him deeply to have taken such a risk," She paused, watching as a light pink hue colored the girl's cheeks. "I know I don't have the right to ask this from you after all I've done but please promise me you'll always take care of him for me." Mal locked eyes with her and slowly nodded.
Claudette returned her gaze to Ben and stared at him with an intense expression for a few long moments as if to forever impress the image of his face in her soul. She swallowed, knowing in her heart that this was the last time she'd ever see him. "Goodbye, son," she whispered. Claudette gave him one long, last look before spinning around. She slowly began to make her way back into the forest.
Ben and Mal stayed in silence, watching her disappear from view. The princess reached out to take Ben's right hand and threaded her fingers through his. She felt Ben tremble. The prince didn't look at her, his gaze fixed on the spot his mother had stood only moments earlier as he squeezed her hand seeking comfort.
A/N: So what do you think? I'd love to hear what you all think about the chapter in a review. I know it's a short chapter and might feel a little like a filler one but all the scenes are important as they built into the main ongoing plot. The sneak attack on the Knights Monastery is up next so make sure to tune in to the next chapters. Also my posting schedule should return to normal now...just don't forget to keep your eyes open for that mid-week surprise update I had promised last update to make up for my absence ;)