Mal's POV
School's gone back to normal after the 'incident' as everyone likes to call it. No one knows I'm the actual culprit but they have announced their punishment. Expulsion. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me. Why reward someone who doesn't want to go to school, by kicking them out of school? Shouldn't it be the other way around?
Anyway, school's just let out for the day so I wait at the front for Jay so we can do our usual steal and deal. Once he arrives, we burst into a race to get to the market, dodging adults and kids alike, including ones in prams, from which we steal candy.
As soon as we get to the market, I immediately spot something I like and do not hesitate to steal it. I get Jay to charm the lady at the booth while I quickly slip it into my pocket and dash off into a corner to admire it.
The blue amber inside it sparkles despite being trapped in the metallic casing of a wired heart in the pattern of two dragons curled up together, one a lighter and the other a darker shade of purple. The colours complement each other well and it's one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen on the isle. I quickly clasp it around my neck with a special hook made specifically to prevent snatch thieves and basically everyone on the isle.
A few minutes later, Jay rushes in with an armful of goods he charmed the lady into giving to him. "I'll be keeping this one." I tell him, showing off my new necklace that seemed to glow in the dim sunlight that manages to pass through the ever dark clouds covering the isle.
"That is beautiful." He simply states before a smirk graces his features. "But you owe me." I shake his hand and nod in agreement.
After pocketing his treasures, we start off once again to another shop, then another, and another... We steal larger bits and more expensive pieces from the wealthier shops and whatever seems valuable enough from the smaller ones.
Eventually, before we're even halfway through the market, our pockets are already full and we have to resort stuffing whatever we can into our shirts, shoes, and anywhere else we can smuggle things. Just as we reach a shop selling all sorts of knick knacks, including lamps, Jay and I start to smuggle them into the more secretive places.
As I pocket a lamp, I feel the hairs at the back of my neck rise. I can tell Jay feels exactly the same as I do because he's quivering in his seat. I take a sideways glance to Jay and we non-verbally come to an agreement.
We both quickly turn in our position and slap both men, effectively angering them as their cheeks redden and the snarl on their face becomes widens. Before they can retaliate however, we punch and kick them a few more times, making their whole faces red with anger. After seeing that they probably wouldn't be able to get back at us anymore, Jay and I decide we've had enough from that shop and leave, but not before smuggling a few more lamps.
We both sprint towards another stall, almost to the other end of the market, where they sell the good stuff like immediate findings from Auradon as well as the semi-freshest food you could find on the isle. We're just about there when we feel a weight being dropped onto our backs, making us fall forward.
We don't stay down for long as we start to fight them with more strength than before. As we fight, we edge them into an alley where we know there is a dead end, preventing their escape.
Just as I was about to deliver one last blow where the sun doesn't shine, I hear the sound of a blade being drawn. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the men overpowering Jay, knocking him to the ground, and heading towards him with a blade in his hand.
I contemplated delivering the final blow before deciding that it was time to repay my debt. Just as the blade came down, I made my move.
Jay's POV
I had everything under control. It was just a single moment of weakness, pride and maybe overconfidence, when the man swept his foot across the floor, knocking me off balance and making me fall backwards.
At that moment, I realised I wasn't as strong as I always thought I was. A moment later, l heard a blade being unsheathed and looked up to see the man approaching me with a dagger, shiny and lethal. I tried to move but for some reason my limbs refused to obey my brain. My heart started to pound. This was it.
I watched as he approached, waiting for it to be all over. And then it was.
Hades' POV
I felt something weird that was building up in my chest and in the deepest part of my belly. It was very uncomfortable, very unsettling. It was one of the worst feelings in the world and I had to sit down just to try to rein it all in and understand why I was feeling this way.
As I was thinking, images of Mal being hurt filled my mind. I shook my head, not wanting to think of those morbid thoughts but the more I shook then away, the more they came. I eventually realised what's wrong.
Mal's in danger. My baby's in danger. I want to help her, I really do but I can't. If this is Maleficent's doing, I don't want to hurt Mal by giving Maleficent the idea that she can use Mal's pain to summon me. Besides, Maleficent wouldn't do something to gravely injure our child and her sole heir.
Despite all this, the pain in my chest doesn't cease.
Jay's POV
I watched as the knife inched closer as if I were in a movie and everything was in slow motion. Just before the knife met it's mark however, a light weight landed on top of me, knocking the wind out of my chest. A few moments later, I saw them pale as they pulled a blood tainted knife out and dropped it on the floor before running off.
That's strange. I thought as I felt perfectly fine with the exception of being winded. Then I realised something was still on top of me. Mal was on top of me. Her pale face seemed to be in anguish and I wondered why.
Mal's POV
I jumped on top of him just before the knife membered itself into flesh. There was a moment of nothingness before reality came crashing down. The pain was intense, like nothing I've ever felt before.
Hades' POV
I felt it like nothing I've ever felt before. This agonizing pain in my chest as I felt my heart stop beating. I waited once, twice, for it to restart but it never did. My head was now filled with worry. What was Maleficent doing with our baby? My princess? The love of my life?
No matter what it how much I want to, I couldn't go to her. All I could do was sit here, wait, and hope Pain and Panic will eventually return with the news. Hopefully while I'm still alive and this pain and worry hasn't killed me.
Mal's POV
I clutched my side and my hand came back crimson red. Jay, who was below me, opened his eyes wide in shock. All I could do was grimace as I tried to fight the pain and struggled to get up.
Jay carefully lifted me and placed me on the ground beside him, eyeing the gaping wound by my side. All I did was send him a grin as I tried to play off the pain as best as I could.
"I think its time for me to head home." I told him as I started to take out all the items that I stole and we're supposed to be his to sell. Each movement I made felt as if I was being stabbed over and over again. But I'm a villain. I can't afford to be weak so I push through. Eventually, my pockets are mostly empty and I move to get up and leave.
Just before I do, Jay stares holds me back and stares at my side one last time. "Why did you do it?" He asked, fear and worry lacing his voice.
I just smiled as I shrugged his hand off. "Debt repaid." I told him and walked away, ignoring the fact that the pain was starting to blur my vision and everything else was starting to feel like I was in a dream.
I eventually reached my house, where mom was collapsed in front of the tv after her afternoon shows. I made my way to my room, stumbling every few steps and collapsed onto my bed.
I felt myself floating in and out of consciousness. Just before I finally let myself succumb to the darkness, I heard a voice. "Its ok baby girl. Daddy's here. Daddy will never let you go again." After that, everything went black.
I hope you enjoy the story and don't forget to check in on part two tomorrow.
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