Chapter 10
I know I know, this update is long over due but what can I say. Writing is a process and you have to be feeling it in order to write something worth reading.
BTW I don't actually remember if I have called Charming by his actual name before in this fic but his name in Henry according to Disney so Henry it is.
We come into the world, worse for the wear
But the wars of our fathers are not ours to bear
Don't give up, no not yet
-Nilu-
''Should we?'' Hercules asks pointing towards the way the kids just ran.
Nodding Meg states,'' yeah we should get those two before they start a revolt.''
Jogging after the two runaways Herc wonders out loud what could've spooked the son of Jafar so.
Bursting through the palace doors Evie and Jay run hand in hand towards the meeting place.
''How do we know the gang will even be there?'' Evie gasps.
Rats. Jay didn't think about this, what if they hadn't been caught yet? Hiding was kinda their specialty.
Hiding. The answer was so clear. ''Then we hide until we can find them.''
Slowing their pace they start sneaking around the neatly trimmed bushes that decorate the palace garden. They duck down behind a lushes green bush with pretty orange flowers decorating its branches.
Evie tried staying vigilant but the longer they sat there the more she looked at the strange orange plant wondering if these were that man's plants, the half god with a nice smile.
Jay peeked through the bush, having a clear view of the meeting place that was guarded by the Fairy and Doctor. The only members of their gang there were Uma and Harry, figures they were captured first. They and their captors sat there munching on some food that Jay didn't recognize.
He and Evie had to wait until the whole gang was captured to escape though, cannon fodder and all that jazz.
''Look Evie!'' Jay whisper yells tapping her shoulder,'' Mal and Carlos are here, now we can leave.''
''What?'' Evie looks at Jay confused, ''No we can't, Gil isn't here yet.''
''…'' Jay turns to her clearly struggling with the idea of waiting any longer. They haven't been sitting here for long, maybe a few minutes but with the looming threat above them it's tempting to cut Gil loose and make a run for it. Most gangs have done similar things back home.
''We swore on it…'' Evie whispers knowing that if Jay wouldn't wait then she couldn't either.
Swallowing back the fear Jay nods, ''Rotten to the core.''
''Together.'' She adds turning to look at the rest of their gang, who sit a mere 20 meters away from them completely unaware of the danger.
Jasmine runs as hard as she can but she can't catch up with the son of Jafar. Faries, it was an accident but it was clear that Jay saw it as a serious offense. He looked so scared…as if she were a monster, as if she would hurt him which he probably thought would happen. She has to find him and explain that it's okay, that he wouldn't be punished for this and even if he did something bad on purpose he would never be hurt by her or the guards.
She is stopped mid run by two strong arms, ''Woah, where are you running of too in such a hurry?'' he asks smiling.
Gasping Jasmine can't stop the tears from springing into her eyes as she picks up her head to look at her husband.
''What the… What happened here?'' Aladdin asks with an edge in his voice, thumbing the red spot that has now formed on her delicate cheek. Looking in the direction she came from her husband looks ready for a fight, ''Who did this?''
''No, no one, I accident. Thought but it wasn't, then-''
''Slow down Jaz, take a breath and then explain.'' Aladdin says leading his clearly distressed wife towards one of the hallway couches.
Having taken a couple of calming breaths Jasmine begins over,'' I was in the training hall when I thought I saw Aziz, and we have told him so many times that he isn't allowed in there unsupervised. So I called his name but he wouldn't listen, so I called again this time angrier in hopes of scaring him a bit. But he still didn't answer and so I walked closer and turned him around so he could look at me when I spoke to him but as I did this the child swung out his hand hitting me in the face-''
''Wait so Aziz hit you-'' Aladdin asked confused.
''No! No, that's the thing. It wasn't Aziz, I thought it was Aziz because I saw a child with long black hair and tanned skin once again being somewhere he shouldn't. But when I turned the child around it turned out to be Jay and when I fell over one of the guards stepped towards Jay.'' Jasmine said looking at her husband.
''And Jay saw that as an attack.'' Aladdin surmised, it's astonishing really how well he is able to understand the son of Jafar.
''Yes and before I could explain he just ran and now I can't find him anywhere.'' She sighed defeated.
''Don't worry we'll find him.'' Aladdin says getting up, ready to go find the wayward boy. ''It's all going to be fine, Jaz. Accidents happen.''
''You should've seen the look on his face, Al. It was like all his suspicions were confirmed, like I was a monster.'' Jazmine whispers.
''Well then let's prove him wrong.''
News of the missing villain children spread through the castle, though the details were kept under wraps. Soon all the royals and guards were informed.
''Care to explain who's bright idea it was to play hide and seek with these children on the entire castle grounds?'' Adam grumbles searching every nook and cranny a small child could possibly fit into. When a room was cleared it was to be locked with the room key or by magic lock.
''This is going to take forever can't Fairy Godmother find them through a tracking spell?'' Eric asks concerned.
''She no longer uses magic, besides she is watching the remaining children. If we got her for this the children would know something was amiss.'' Aurora answered as she locked one of the doors manually.
''And they lived happily ever after,'' Belle smiles finishing the story book. She loved doing reading hour at the place, it's so important to read to kids and to get them interested in Aurodon's history.
The attendants take out one child after the other as parents show up at reception to pick up their children.
In the end only three children remain, one of which little Jane was supposed to stick with her for the afternoon. The other two however were not on the signup sheet and must've snuck in, two little book worms right before her eyes.
The three younglings haven't even noticed that it's just the four of them now. Audrey being the assertive girl she is, has taken it upon herself to pick another fairy tale book to read.
''This is called; The ugly duckling'' Audrey reads painstakingly, she's quite the good reader but long words remain a challenge much to grandmothers disappointment.
''He doesn't look ugly,'' Gil comments studying the cover thoroughly.
All little Jane adds to the story is a sweet squeal, ''Duckie!''
Carefully joining the three kids, Belle sits down next to Gill. ''Should we read the story to find out why he is called the ugly duckling?'' she asks softly.
Jane doesn't respond, Audrey simply nods without looking and turns the book towards Belle. Gill is a different story though his head shoots up, shocked that the adult managed to sneak up to him. He could've gotten hurt had she approached him with malintent.
He soon relaxes when Belle starts reading the story book, he even finds himself leaning into her side as she rubs his back softly. After a while he looks up at Belle as she continuous to read how the ugly duckling finally finds his true family that loves him. Maybe he was like the ugly duckling and he would find his true family in Aurodon, maybe he could have a Belle as well.
Shaking his head he suddenly feels bad, daddy wanted Belle as well and that was why he was sent to the isle. If he wants Belle does that make him bad like daddy too? Would he have to go back to the isle?
Scooting closer to Belle, Gill decided he would never stop liking Belle. And maybe just maybe if he protected her and was careful not to anger her he would get to stay by her side a little longer. As he sat there listening to the end of the story he wished he were the ugly duckling and Belle the mother swan, he didn't even need to be the ugly duckling per se he would even settle for just being able to swim near her.
Just outside the palace doors leading to the garden all the royal parents; Cinderella, Henry(Charming), Ariel, Eric, Meg, Hercules, Jasmine, Aladdin, Aurora, Philip and Adam. Minus Belle and Fairy Godmother have come together, having searched the palace as thoroughly and fast they could with the help of guards and attendants.
''So every child is accounted for except Evie, Jay, Gil and Audrey?'' Ariel asks.
''No, I just got word that Gil and Audrey are with Belle. So we are only missing Jay and Evie.'' Adam responds.
''So that leaves us with two possible scenarios; either they are hiding somewhere on the palace grounds or…'' Philip says carefully,'' Or they have fled the palace grounds and are wandering the streets of Auro-.''
''Ssshhh,'' Cinderella shushes the royals.
''What is it Cindy?'' Henry whispers to his beloved wife.
Eyes trained on some bushes further in the distance, close to Fairy Godmother, Doctor Kane and the other children, she whispers, ''Look at the Azalea bushes.''
Following Cinderella's instruction the royals turn to look at the bushes with bright orange flowers in them and among the sea of orange a speck of blue jumps out at them.
The royals start to move when Jasmine holds up her hand to stop them,'' You should join Fairy Godmother in the garden but I will go to Jay myself.''
''Agreed, it would most likely scare him even more if we show up like some angry mob,'' Hercules nods in agreement.
''Inform all involved parties that we have located the children and to call of the search,'' Adam commands a guard.
And off the royals went, joining the children on the lawn with all kinds of desserts and drinks as Jasmine went over to Jay to make things right.
''The adults have joined the party…'' Evie whispers looking both scared of this development and envious of not being able to join them.
''Not all of us have,'' Jasmine says softly, it didn't have the desired effect because the two children still froze up. Seeing that the kids were ready to make a run for it once more she sat down to show them rather than telling them she isn't a threat, it's hard to chase someone when you're sitting down.
''I'm sorry.''
Beat.
''What?'' Jay and Evie pull back shocked by Jasmine's words.
''I'm sorry for grabbing and scaring you, I'm sorry that you thought something bad would happen when the guards stepped forward,'' Jasmine said trying to hold her composure, ''I promise that you won't get punished for an accident and no one will ever hurt you here as punishment, that's not how we do things here in Aurodon.''
''Then what is my punishment for hitting you?'' Jay asks quietly, surely it would be bad. Maybe they don't beat you in Aurodon but starve you or something.
''No punishment. Jay did you mean to hit me?'' Jasmine asks.
''…'' Jay struggles to understand what she means, ''But I hit you.'' Frowning he looks to Evie hoping she knows what to do and what the answer was. Evie seemed to be drawing blanks as well.
''But did you want to hit me?'' Jasmine asks rephrasing the question.
''No but-''
''Then it was an accident and you don't get punished for accidents,'' Jasmine says extending her hands to both the isle children.
''Momma, I sworry'' Jay says as his mother pets his head as he crawls into bed with her.
''It's okay baby, accidents happen. No matter what happens, remember mama love you. Never forget that.'' Aliyah smiles at her son, her pride and joy.
She worries for his future, her love has been so angry since the accident, Jafar blames him for it. He is getting angrier the more her health declines, she is angry too. Angry at the world for ruining what little joy she had found, for ruining her second chance at life but Jafar must realize that Jay is not to blame for any of it. He mustn't turn into his own father for that would truly break her heart.
''Dada mad,'' Jay says sadly, petting his mother's silky hair as she pets his.
Tears spring in her eyes, ''Yes but daddy is mostly just sad.''
''Cuz momma is leabing?'' her son asks, not knowing the weight of those words.
''Yeah baby, because mama is leaving soon. So you take good care of daddy huh? For mama?'' Aliyah smiles as tears leak out of her eyes unbidden.
''Till Momma come back'' Jay whispers as his little eyes droop closed. Leaving his mother in tears, she would give anything to come back, to never leave at all.
Taking Jasmine's hand Jay and Evie walk over to the garden party just as Belle arrives holding Jane in one arm and holding Gil's hand as Audrey skips ahead.
There they sat eating cake and drinking juice, having won another battle in this long war that is called life. A long road lay ahead of them but maybe it would be easier if they all found something or perhaps someone to run to, instead of the usual path of running from someone.
Let me know what you think of this chapter!