I apologize for the delay in this chapter. I had hoped to make it a New Year's gift, but 2020 ended with a sewage volcano in my front yard. An appropriate end to a difficult year. Unfortunately, that means I am starting 2021 with a five-figure repair bill. Oh well, at least writing is free!
If you recognize something in this story, then I don't own it. Seeing the live action movie Maleficent, or at least an awareness of the plot points therein, will help to make sense of the confrontation in this chapter. We are finally reaching the point where this all began! Parent day and Mal's scars were what prompted this journey, but I needed to fill in a lot of back story if I wanted this to be more than a one shot. Over 32,000 words later, I have defiantly passed the one shot mark! Reviews telling me what you enjoyed about the chapter are my favorite…hint hint;)
Scars Revealed
Ben's Point of View
I was talking with my parents about our welcoming musical number, laughing at how ridiculous we probably looked. I was enjoying the chance to get my dad roaring with laughter when I looked across the lawn and spotted trouble. Audrey and her Grammy were striding towards Mal with purpose, and I knew that I had to get over there to diffuse the situation fast. Queen Leah was one of the most vocal people against letting the kids of the Isle come to Auradon; and the last thing I wanted was a messy confrontation in front of all the parents I was trying to sway towards supporting my desire to bring all of the kids over from the Isle.
"…you're just a fake, and are putting all of Auradon in danger simply by existing." I caught the tail end of Audrey's taunt.
Mal chose to turn and start walking away, rather than answer the girl's bitter words in kind, and I couldn't be prouder of her. I saw Jay striding towards us as I moved forward to Mal's side, but we were both too late.
Audrey, angry at being ignored, reached out and grabbed Mal's ever present jacket, pulling it off and ripping it slightly in the process. Mal was thrown to the ground by the force of the assault and sat there, with her back bowed forward in a pose approaching a fetal position. This exposed her back for everyone to see, and the horror it revealed caused absolute silence.
Two raised scars ran down her back on either side of her spine, disappearing below the back of her dress. The scar tissue was malformed and rough, pulling with every movement of her back. Mal didn't bother to cover her scars, because the damage had already been done. Mal looked up at Audrey and said wearily, "are you happy now?"
I rushed over and put my jacket over Mal's back before looking at her tenderly and asking, "are you okay?"
"Not really," Mal half laughed, "maybe now people will believe that growing up on the isle was no picnic."
Mal grimaced and breathed heavily for a few moments before relaxing in my arms. Jay's hand rested on her shoulder protectively, as if daring anyone else to approach. Evie knelt down at her side and started whispering in her ear too softly for me to hear.
Mal slowly stood up, with Jay's and my help, and turned to face Audrey and her Queen Leah. Audrey stood in shocked silence, but her Grammy looked disgusted. "What did you do to yourself? If you're trying to garner sympathy and throw us off our guard, it won't work."
Mal looked up and started speaking softly but clearly. "My mother had a kingdom once, and she was happy to rule over her small land, but your father decided that he wanted everything. Your husband stole my mother's wings to become king, and you were the prize for her defeat." Queen Leah started shifting uncomfortably, but Mal continued, her voice growing louder as she spoke. "Your husband turned my mother into a bitter, jealous, vicious woman, who can't stand being subservient or inferior to anyone. You forget that I am half fairy, but my mother wouldn't have me rivaling her power. If she couldn't have wings…" There was a pregnant pause before spitting out at the top of her lungs, "then neither could I."
There was an audible gasp from the unwitting audience, and tender hearts burned with a fire to help this young girl, who was a victim of her circumstances. Mom and Dad looked like they had been punched in the gut. I knew that this was NOT what they had intended when they exiled the villains to the island. Dad never thought that the villains would have children in the first place, conveniently forgetting that options for entertainment on the isle were few, or that they would mistreat their own flesh and blood.
Evie could tell that I was trying not to blame my dad for his oversight and stepped in. "Not every hero is lily white."
"And you of all people should know that both heroes and villains are made, not born." Chimed in Jay, as he looked straight at King Adam.
Jay and I steadied Mal when she suddenly cried out in pain. My jacket slipped and the skin on her back started to ripple, as if there was something living under the surface trying to find a way out. "Not again," breathed Jay, as he helped to lower Mal back to the ground.
Evie rushed over and started whispering in her ear, a little louder this time. "Oh Mal, sweetie, are you okay? You've been hiding the pain haven't you. Are they ready to erupt again?" Mal simply nodded, panting through her evident pain.
Carlos spoke up in a panicked tone, "they can't be coming again, it's only been six months". He eyed the people around him as he kept his voice low.
I was confused, not understanding the conversation around me. Clearly, I was missing a few details, but I knew one thing. Mal touched something in my heart that had never been touched before, and I was not going to leave her when she needed me. Mal continued to cling to me as she arched her back in apparent pain. She looked me in the eye and said, "I'm sorry, I'm about to make a mess."
"None of this is your fault," I said. "What you went through was horrible, but breaking up the party did not cause a mess."
Mal looked me straight in the eyes, seeming to skewer me in place as she panted out. "No, I am literally about to make a mess." With those words, she closed her eyes and let go of me, her back arching in pain. Blue fire engulfed her torso and two large purple wings burst out of her back, sending pieces of flesh and blood splattering out behind her. If the situation wasn't so serious, I would have appreciated the fact that Audrey and her Grammy were coved in the goo. The fire dissipated quickly as Mal sagged forward into my arms and lost consciousness.
Queen Leah recovered herself quickly. "Clearly the girl is lying, fairy wings don't grow back, much less in such a dramatic fashion. She is putting on a show for pity." She turned to Fairy Godmother and said, "you know, of course, that wings don't grow back."
Fairy Godmother had no wings of her own, but she was a bit of an anomaly among her brethren. I knew that it is one reason that she left the fairy kingdom for the human world; because there she was ridiculed, but here she was celebrated. She would also know if the incident that soured Mal's mother to the human race was accurate. She seemed to agree with Mal, but could not explain why Mal's wings just erupted like they had. She timidly said, "I have never heard of it happening before, but perhaps…"
Queen Leah interrupted her. "You see, even our resident fairy agrees that this is fake."
"I didn't say that," Fairy Godmother tried again. She seemed a bit indignant that she was being brushed off, as if being a fairy meant you weren't human, but Leah wouldn't let her finish.
"She is a liar and a poser and should be sent back to the Isle where she came from." A few of the people in the crowd started to voice agreement to Leah's sentiment, but Carlos had apparently had enough.
"You are all idiots." The normally mild-mannered teen shouted in anger, making people pause and look at him in surprise. "You know that I am Cruella De Ville's son, that Evie's mother is the Evil Queen and that Maleficent birthed Mal, but did you ever wonder who our fathers were? Or Jay's mom?" People started shifting their feet, feeling uncomfortable. Even I berated myself for never thinking to ask that question. "Mal's father is the reason her wings keep regenerating, and they are doing so more quickly here, now that the magical barrier is not impeding their growth. Every time they grow back, her mother cuts them off again."
Queen Leah appeared to be unmoved. "Who is her father then," she spat, not bothering to ask about anyone else's parents.
Carlos looked at the others with a concerned and apologetic look on his face. Evie looked at Mal and shook her head. Jay then stepped forward. "Her father's identity is for her to divulge. She hasn't even told me, and we've been allies since I was five. All I know, is that her father is the reason that her wings keep growing, and we haven't pressed for details because we respect her privacy."
I looked over at Evie, and the blue haired girl looked as if she knew more than she was saying. I caught her eye and held her gaze for a few long moments, but she shook her head slightly and looked away. I realized that Evie knew the identity of Mal's father, but that she would never divulge the information without the purple haired beauty's permission. I could only hope that Mal would trust me with the information one day.
I saw several people around me start moving forward for a better view of Mal's wings, but knew that she hated being gawked at. I swept her up in my arms, careful to keep my arm under her wings so I wasn't crushing them, and looked at my father. "I'm going to take her somewhere to rest. She's probably exhausted."
My father nodded at me in approval and quietly told me to call the royal physician if they were needed. He then turned towards the families around us. "Thank you for coming to family day and I hope that you are enjoying your time together. I ask that you respect Mal's privacy as my son takes her back to her room to rest. We've been learning that the Isle of the Lost is not a nice place for the children who dwell there and are looking into the situation."
I heard Rapunzel speaking up as I walked away. "We have to make sure that the Isle's children are safe. Children are children, regardless of their parentage, and need to be protected. I was speaking with Carlos and he told me how many of the Isle's children are abused. He and the others protect many of the abused and forgotten children on the Isle. There is never enough to go around and the children are often cast aside if they get in their parents' way. We have to do something about this."
Mulan then spoke up, "I had the privilege of speaking with Evie. They are stepping outside of their parents' shadows and becoming strong providers for the Isle's kids. Their goal is to provide a place for the Isle's children to grow into heroes outside of their parents' spheres. I can support any organization for the betterment of the children."
Eugene Fitzherbert, Rapunzel's husband, then spoke up. "I move that the child welfare committee meet to discuss the safety of the Isle's children on Monday. We need to do something to protect them!"
Wow, the Core Four had been networking while I wasn't paying attention. I looked to the side and saw Jay's face soften when Princess Jasmine began to speak. "Not everyone on the Isle deserves to be there, and I believe that we should review the transcripts of the trials held before committing people to the Isle. We should also explore ways to further restrict the worst of the villains to protect those who are less evil or who have rejected their evil ways. Leaving them to maim and kill each other will result in chaos and anarchy that could destroy the Isle itself."
My father spoke again, his voice fading away as I strode towards the dorms. "We will convene in the royal council chamber on Monday at 9AM to review the issues raised and discuss possible solutions. Those of you who spoke with the kids from the Isle should put together lists of issues that you wish to discuss before the meeting and…"
I looked at Evie and said, "wow, you guys must have made a good impression. You sure know how to work a crowd." Evie blushed as I turned to Jay. "Your networking skills are impressive, and I saw you all speaking to influential people on the council. How much of that was planned?"
Jay looked me in the eye and said, "we are responsible for the kids on the Isle, and we will do anything to make sure that they are protected. Mal made a list of the kids with influential parents and we made sure to stand near them today. We did not make friends with the kids ahead of time with this purpose in mind, as we consider them real friends. We learned to take advantage of every opportunity on the Isle, so we simply made ourselves available for questions from the right people. I don't want you to think that we are using any of you."
I quickly replied, "you don't need to apologize to me. I have seen your friendships grow during lunches this last month and was happy to see that the kids with influential parents were joining us. You were clearly aware of them as potential assets at the beginning, and seemed to direct yourselves towards them, but you did not ignore the others. You grew to see them as people first, and assets second. It was a shrewd move tempered by kindness, which are skills that I have been taught since birth. A true ruler knows who to make connections with, but a good one is able to make real friendships in the process." Jay's tense face softened some when he saw that I did not judge him for his political maneuvering.
I then looked at Carlos and allowed respect to show in my face and voice. "You truly made an impression out there. You stood up for your friend and made people sit up and take notice. They were beginning to discuss how to help the Isle's children as we left." Carlos stood a bit taller as I voiced my approval.
I strode forward until I felt a hand on my arm. I stopped and my eyes followed the arm to Jay. Evie then said, "Mal's and my room is to the right. I know that you are in the next dorm with Jay and Carlos, but it is probably best if you take Mal to her own room."
Evie looked at me knowingly as I blushed. I had automatically walked towards my own room, but realized that she was right. Mal would likely not appreciate waking up in my bed, however much I would like to see her in it one day. I shook those thoughts from my head. I had to get her to go on a real date with me before thinking about a marriage bed. I was raised to believe in love at first sight, which I know is what happened when I first shook her hand as she got out of the limo bringing her over from the Isle. She has said that she was raised to believe that love is a weakness, but I was working on changing her mind. It wouldn't happen overnight, but she was beginning to soften towards me. I directed my steps towards her room.
I laid Mal down on her bed when we arrived at her room, making sure that she lay on her side so her wings could stretch out beside her. I looked at Carlos first, then turned to Jay. "You said that you've known her since you were five. How do you not know who her dad is? Why would she never tell you if she was as good as your sister?"
Jay shifted and looked at the other two before returning my gaze. "I'm pretty sure that I know who he is, but you learn not to ask too many questions with Mal. It doesn't take much for her to shut down when you ask about her personal life, and her dad is off limits. If Mal keeps something from me, it is for one of two reasons. Either she is trying to protect me, or she is trying to protect others. Her mother rules the Isle with an iron fist, so either her dad is in hiding or he is already dead."
I turned to Evie now, and she met my eyes with defiance in her gaze. "I know his name, and I found out by pure accident. But if I tell you now, she will never trust me again. I love her too much to betray her trust, and knowing who her father is would not help you at this time. She is beginning to trust you, but I suggest that you don't press her on the issue. She will tell you if and when she is ready."
I nodded my head as I looked down to Mal. I didn't realize it, but I had been stroking her feathers. They were a deep, dark purple that appeared almost blue in places. They were magnificent and I could understand how they might be considered intimidating. Knowing them as the symbol of power that they were, I understood why someone as evil as Maleficent would try to remove their influence. My heart ached for the pain that Mal experienced with their removal in the past, and vowed silently that it would never happen again. I was NOT allowing Mal to return to the Isle to be tormented by her mother. I would do whatever it took to keep her here, even if it meant forcing the council to remove all of the kids from the Isle.
I began to worry when Mal did not wake up and was about to call the royal physician when she started to stir. I held her hand and bent my head close to hers. "Please wake up Mal. I want to make sure that you are okay."
She slowly opened her eyes and met my gaze. "Well, that happened."
I couldn't help myself and barked out a laugh. "You certainly have a way with words."
She moved to sit up, wincing as she did so. I hovered, concerned, and asked if she needed to see the royal physician. She looked at me in annoyance and said, "I'm perfectly fine. This isn't the first time I've dealt with regrowing my wings, and it likely won't be the last."
I paled at her words before setting my jaw. "You will never have to go through that again. You are keeping your wings this time and I am never letting you go back to your mother. No one will ever hurt you again."
Mal looked at me tenderly, raising her hand to touch my cheek. I leaned into her hand as she spoke. "You may not have that power. If enough people protest, they could get the council to return us to the Isle. Your father may be king, and your coronation may be soon, but the people still have a voice."
I shook my head in denial. "I will not budge on this issue. You are staying here and I will get the council to remove the other kids from the Isle. Your core kids will not remain vulnerable for long. I will get them here as quickly as I can."
Mal looked at me with tenderness and hope in her eyes. "Saving my kids would be the best gift in the world. It is all I ever wanted, and the only reason I agreed to leave them in the first place. I hoped to find a way to save them, no matter what the cost."
I leaned down to kiss her tenderly on the forehead. "I won't let you down. The royal council meets on Monday. Will you come with me? We'll make them see that they can't ignore the Isle anymore. Something must be done." Mal flashed a brilliant smile, which lit up her face. I knew that I would do whatever it took to keep her smiling for the rest of her life.
