Chapter Five

A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs. Everything else either belongs to Disney or the Greek Myths.

Ah don't you just love December? Especially because as I write this, I'm curled up under a fuzzy blanket watching the first snow fall of the year with a cat at my feet. There literally is nothing better!

Thank you all for your continued support on this story and I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Ben leaned back in his chair, staring at the pages in front of him in shock. This…this just couldn't be right.

It'd taken him three whole weeks but he had finally gotten through the records of the past twenty years. He hadn't wanted to take so long but between classes, homework, and meetings…well he did need to eat and sleep after all. There were only so many hours in the day.

He had even brought some of the records to bed with him, just to have a chance to make more progress on getting the records examined. Part of him was thankful at least that he was king…at least that way he wouldn't have to ask for permission to access the full manifests and shipping records. He could just access them, no questions asked.

Ben ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the last page in his hand. With the exception of the first six months of the Isle's creation, every month had seen a delay in the food they'd been sending to the Isle.

At first the delays had been small…almost imperceptible. They had been as small as a day or at most a week….and then four years into the Isle's creation, they seemed to pick up. The delays he meant, not the deliveries.

Gods how did Auradon not notice this? Ben thought. Dad…dad was king all that time! Did he honestly not know? But how could he not know? Wasn't he getting reports from the Isle? Weren't we sending people over there?

"Benji?"

Ben looked up to see Chip standing in the doorway of his office, holding what looked like two steaming mugs of hot chocolate.

"What's that for?" Ben asked, clearing a spot on his desk for Chip to put the mugs down. "Not that I'm not appreciative for it Chip, but it's like sixty five degrees outside. Not exactly hot chocolate weather."

"Which is why it's cold chocolate," Chip chuckled, handing Ben his mug. "Just chocolate milk but with cinnamon and whipped cream. Your shadows called me, said that you were hibernating in your office again and they didn't know why. So I thought I'd stop by for a nice brotherly talk before they involved Mal."

Ben sighed and took a sip of his cold chocolate before he spoke again. Chip didn't need to know that Mal had already dragged him out of his office three times these past three weeks for lunch and dinner. "Chip, can…if I tell you something, brother to brother, do you promise not to freak out?"

"You know me Benji," Chip said. "I make no promises."

"Fair enough," Ben sighed again. "The day before Family Day…Mal took me to the Isle."

Chip paused. "I'm sorry, you must have started speaking German there for a second. I thought you just said that you'd gone to the Isle."

"I did."

"You? Son of Adam, the guy who created the Isle in the first place?"

"I believe we covered that with your first statement."

"And you didn't tell anyone?"

"I told—"

"Okay, let me rephrase. You didn't tell anyone who wasn't already going to the Isle with you?"

"…no?"

Chip sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Ben, why would you do something like that?"

"Chip, the Isle's part of Auradon too," Ben said. "How can I be king and rule all the peoples if I don't even know how about half our population lives? I mean just look at the registry—the written one, not the digital. Gods, it's amazing how out of date that one is. I'm having Carlos and Doug update it."

"Ben, baby brother, you're rambling."

"Oh sorry," Ben said. "Anyway, I needed to see the Isle. Especially since there were no reports or anything coming to me as part of my preparation to become king. Plus…it was a way to sort of see what made Mal…well Mal."

"I'd say that was corny but Lucas used to use those same lines on me when we were at Auradon Prep," Chip chuckled.

Ben smiled before he shook his head. "Gods Chip, the state of that Isle…small kids probably Alexandria's age or younger in the streets pickpocketing…I remember Jay had to swipe my wallet back about five times on our way to Lord Hades' restaurant."

"…Lord Hades has a restaurant?"

"Yeah," Ben nodded. "It was another reason why I wanted to see the Isle. Mal had described the menu options on our date and I wanted to try the food. We definitely don't have anything like it here in Auradon."

"Huh…think Lord Hades will deliver?" Chip asked. "I now really want to try his food."

"I can certainly look into seeing if that's something that could be done," Ben sighed. "But first I have to figure out why most of the food on the Isle is rotten."

Chip paused and looked at Ben, a look of unmistakable horror on his surrogate brother's face.

"…rotten?"

Ben nodded. "That's what Mal said when I tried Lord Hades' food. I had meant to ask about it but then we had a confrontation with a kid on the Isle and then the whole Family Day and coronation debacle happened so it just kinda…got pushed out of my mind."

"So I guess that would explain the snowfall of papers on your desk," Chip noted.

"Yep," Ben nodded again. "Twenty years of records of the deliveries to the Isle. The delays don't really register at first, just a day to a week. But then, like four years into the creation of the Isle, they seem to pick up speed—and it's always the same excuse of an engine issue."

He shook his head. "Gods, I…I hope dad didn't know about this but at the same time I can't help but feel a little peeved that he never looked into the delays. He created the Isle for Zeus's sake! Yet it falls on my shoulders?!"

"Ben…you said that the delays didn't pick up until four year into the Isle?" Chip said slowly.

"Yeah," Ben nodded.

"Ben…how old are you?"

"Sixteen. Why?"

"How old's the Isle?"

"Twenty."

"What's twenty minus sixteen?"

Ben tilted his head. "What's with the math lesson Chip? We all know it's…it's four."

"Exactly," Chip said gently. "Ben, the delays picked up when Belle was pregnant with you. Whoever did this knew they wouldn't be under scrutiny during that time."

"But dad was born royal," Ben said. "It's not traditional for royal men to be involved in a pregnancy."

Chip chuckled. "Your mom kept your dad on his toes Benji. Besides, since when do you care about what's traditional? Mr. Date a VK? Anyway…if there was one thing your dad cares about more than Auradon, it's your mom and you. Adam stood by Belle's side all the way through the pregnancy. He even put some of the kingly duties to the side to make sure he was around, especially near the end."

"Really?" Ben asked, leaning forward a bit.

"Absolutely," Chip nodded and ruffled Ben's hair. "Thankfully you gave your mom an easy labor, otherwise I think Adam would still have his hand in a cast. Your mom broke two bones from squeezing it so tightly."

Ben chuckled and batted Chip's hands away before sighing. "So…whoever's causing the delays knew dad was preoccupied with mom's pregnancy? But we have quality checks for the food and everything! I know we do Chip! We check the expiration dates on everything!"

"Ben…" Chip said gently. "You know how your mom miscarried when you were three?"

Ben nodded slowly. He had hazy memories of that time but he could still remember it.

"Papa?" Ben said softly, toddling over to his father's desk. "Where's maman?"

Beast gave his son a sad smile as he picked Ben up and sat him on his lap. "Your maman's feeling sad today Ben. She's resting in her room."

"Oh," Ben said. "When I'm sad, maman's hugs always make me feel better. Do you think maman would like a hug?"

"I think she'd like that very much," Beast said, brushing a strand of light brown hair of Ben's hair off to the side. His son needed a hair cut, but that would wait.

"And biscuits?" Ben said. "'Onnie said that her maman makes biscuits when she feels triste. Do you think maman would like that?"

Beast couldn't help but chuckle slightly at how his son's French slipped out. Belle had begun to teach Ben, stating that the younger a child learned the more of a language they would pick up. After all, they were both French and they shouldn't hide that from their son.

"That depends, you're not just trying to get some biscuits are you?" Beast asked, gently teasing his son.

"No papa!"

"Then let's go ask Mrs. Potts if she'd make some," Beast said, standing up with Ben in his arms. "Then you can take them to your maman and give her a big hug."

Ben nodded before pausing, tentatively biting his lip. "Papa? Can…can I walk?"

"Oh," Beast said, not having realized that he was still holding Ben. "Of course son."

He set Ben down, ignoring the slight pang in his heart as he realized that his son was growing up. He also ignored the second pang as he realized that he would never get to see his daughter grow up…his little Abigail.

For weeks following the news of the miscarriage, Beast had stopped himself from wondering what his daughter would have been like as the kingdom, Belle and Ben needed him to stay strong. But now it was like the thought entered his mind without anyway to stop it. Would his daughter have been like Ben? Athletic, curious, kind? Or would she have been a bookworm like her mother? He could only hope neither one of his children would be like him, or at least the way he had been before the Enchantress came to visit.

"Papa?" Ben asked, noticing the tears in Beast's eyes.

"Sorry Ben," Beast said, clearing his throat. "Guess I got lost in thought for a minute."

"Are you triste too?"

"Yeah son, I am," Beast nodded. Ben frowned and quickly gave his father the biggest hug his three year old self could.

"There!" Ben said and Beast had to smile at the authoritative tone in Ben's voice. "Now you're not sad anymore!"

Beast chuckled softly and gently kissed the top of Ben's head. "Whenever I'm around you, I can't be sad."

"Well, after that," Chip said softly, gently breaking Ben out of his thoughts and pulling him back to the present, "your mom and dad were…well let's just say the Isle took less of a priority for your parents. The inspectors your mom had insisted on were called back and stopped going."

"So whoever caused the delays knew this," Ben sighed. "Dad told me we used to have inspectors…I was actually going to look into reinstating them until dad said the reason that they stopped going was because so many of the inspectors came back injured."

Chip nodded. "Your dad used to tell me that it was the hardest decision he had ever made, just because the inspectors were something your mother had fought tooth and nail for when the Isle was set up. He didn't want to remove something she'd been so proud of…but he didn't want her to feel guilty with every one that came back injured."

Ben sighed. He knew why his dad had told Chip that and not him—Chip, despite his non-royal birth status, was practically a second son to Beast. In fact, Ben wouldn't have been surprised if Chip had been listed as the heir had Ben not been born.

"That changes now," Ben said, making a note in a nearby notebook. "Chip, there's no way the kids on the Isle are remotely healthy if they're eating rotten food. Gods…"

"Have you heard anything from the doctors who did the exams on the new kids?" Chip asked.

"The only one I've heard about is Hadie and that's just because Lady Persephone listed me under those who can receive information since she'd be on the Isle for six months. According to the doctors, Hadie's bordering on underweight but just barely above the line. Probably due to his divine background."

"And the others?"

"Unless their guardians tell me otherwise, I have assume they're healthy," Ben said. It'd been interesting assigning guardians for the incoming VKs but somehow Ben had managed it. Lord Poseidon had immediately volunteered upon hearing that his granddaughter would be one of the four, and had also offered to be guardian to Hadie during the six months Lady Persephone was on the Isle.

To everyone's surprise, including his own, it had been his mother to offer guardianship of Gil. Though, maybe it shouldn't have been so surprising. After all, it was Belle who'd seen past the Beast to his father's kind heart.

Harry had been the last to get a guardian and if Ben was being honest, he hadn't thought anyone would volunteer for the role of guardian to Captain James Killian Hook. It'd been Elizabeth Turner to volunteer and Ben had to smile. The Pirate Queen would have been the one to make sure Harry had a place where he'd be welcomed.

"I'm going to have to talk to Mal about what happened on the Isle," Ben sighed. That definitely wasn't a conversation he wanted to have with his girlfriend.

"First we need to figure out who would delay the food to the Isle," Chip said.

"We?"

"You honestly think I'm going to let you do this alone?" Chip asked. "Benji, you're dreaming if you think that's the case. You, me, and your shadows. Hell, one phone call and I can get Bonnie and Gabriel in to look into it."

"No, no," Ben said. "Thank you Chip but don't bother your siblings. I'd say don't bother Akiho and Emir but something tells me you've already told them."

"I told them to meet me by your office after I had a talk with you," Chip smirked. "They should be at your door right about…"

"Ben!"

"…now," Chip finished just as Akiho and Emir fell into the room.

Ben sighed and shook his head. "Are you two ever going to be normal?"

"Being normal is vastly overrated," Emir stated. "Besides, I'm the second son. Even if The Gazelle reports on me, my antics are so widely known that no one's interested anymore."

"Lucky," Akiho muttered.

"Ah you know you love me."

"Jury's out on that. Now would you get off me?!"

Ben and Chip chuckled as Emir scrambled up off of Akiho and helped his Arendelle buddy up off the floor.

"So Benny boy, what's the reason you've been hibernating in your office again?"

"I do not—"

"Ben, you used to sleep in your office in the lead up to coronation. Now granted you've got a nicer office than when you were the Crown Prince but still…"

Ben sighed. "Look guys, I need you to not freak out about this when I tell you."

"It's us Ben. Freak outs are to be expected by now."

"Right. I honestly don't know why I even thought otherwise."

"So what's up?"

Ben shook his head. "You guys know how Mal and the others kinda…eat differently than us?"

"Oh you mean how they eat like ravenous wolves set on protecting their kill from anyone else who might take it from them?"

Ben, Emir and Chip blinked as they stared at Akiho in shock and alarm.

"What?" Akiho asked. "I like the guys but tell me I'm not wrong! Every time I eat with them I'm afraid they're going to grab an arm or leg of mine."

"Akiho's vivid description aside, he's right," Ben sighed. "Well I've been looking into the food going to the Isle—"

"Why?" Emir asked, looking over at Ben. "The food's fine right?"

Ben bit his lip as he looked at the son of Aladdin. "Emir…most if not of their food is rotten. Mal told me and even if she didn't, it doesn't matter because I ate it."

"…you did what?!"

"It was the day before Family Day, Mal took me to the Isle so I could see what it was like. If there were any issues, I wanted to fix them on day one."

"And you didn't take us?"

"They could easily pretend I was a VK. Three of us? Not so much."

Emir and Akiho gave Ben a look.

"What?"

"You? A VK? I'm sorry Ben but you apologized to Mal for Audrey using her name in an argument you two had."

"She…she told you about that?"

"No. She told Uma about that who then told us about it. I have to say, I like these new VKs."

Ben sighed. "Oh Gods…will the school still be standing with you two, Harry and Jay together?"

"Hey we haven't destroyed it yet!"

"The 'yet' is what bothers me I hope you know!"

Emir shook his head. "Anyway, you were saying about the food being rotten and you tried it?"

"Yeah," Ben nodded. "Mal took me to her dad's restaurant and I tried the food. It had an…an interesting taste. That's when Mal said I didn't have to be polite, that most of the food the Isle gets is rotten anyway."

"But…we've been running food drives since we were thirteen!"

"When they get it, it's rotten," Ben sighed and held up some of the records. "From the delays I've found, it looks to be on purpose. One month I could see as an accident or as a system issue with the engine. Two or three months in a row, I'd be wondering why we haven't gotten a new ship for the shipments. But nineteen and a half years?"

"So what's the plan Ben?" Emir asked, sitting next to Chip.

"Someone's got to talk to the ship's captain," Ben sighed. "And that someone's—"

"Me," Chip said instantly. "Ben, you go to the docks and it becomes front page news for a week. Who ever's doing this would wonder why and get spooked. I'm the son of your head housekeeper. Most of Auradon doesn't even know I exist."

"While Chip's doing that, I can reach out to our head of security at the docks," Akiho said. "After all Arendelle runs that. As heir to the throne of Arendelle, I can easily get those tapes and see if anyone's been talking to the crew. Giving bribes, acting suspicious, that sort of thing."

"All you'd need to do is talk to Mal," Emir told Ben. "She can give a sense of exactly happens on the Isle."

Ben nodded. "I can talk to the others too. Carlos, Jay, Uma, Gil. Harry and Evie."

"Not Hadie?" Chip asked.

"He's too young," Ben said. "It'd be like involving Alexandria. I wouldn't feel right. Plus Mal would probably kill me if I involved her brother."

"Never anger the girlfriend," Chip nodded with a smile.

"Unless that girlfriend is Audrey," Emir chuckled. "Then again, Ben would breathe and that would somehow set her off."

"Yes, well the less said about Princess Leech, the better off my blood pressure will be," Chip nodded. "Benji, I leave you in capable hands. I'll go and get some intel."

"Chip!" Ben called. "Not a word to Mal. Not yet. I want to be the one to tell her what's going on before she hears it from anyone."

"Yes Ben because Mal and I have a lot of conversations."

"Chip…"

"I know Ben," Chip said. "I understand, I won't tell Mal. I promise."

Ben smiled slightly. "Thank you."

"You know I've got your back Ben," Chip said as he stood up and gently squeezed Ben's shoulder. "I'll let you know what I find out."

"Hold on," Emir said. "Doesn't Chip have this thing called a job?"

"Freelance videographer, who right now has just been employed by the king," Chip smirked. "Got to love loopholes."

"…how much time have you spent around Mal?"

"Benji, Benji, Benji…you know I've always been like this," Chip chuckled as he walked out. Ben shook his head as he downed the rest of his cold chocolate.

"I'll get you the tapes Ben," Akiho promised. "If this is being done deliberately, we need to figure out who and we need to figure it out fast."

"Before any more kids die," Emir said softly. Ben looked over at his best friend, knowing him well enough not to ask how he had come to that conclusion. It was the truth—anyone with brains could have told him that.

The only thing he was dreading was how many kids had actually died as a result of this. How many kids he couldn't help. How many kids Auradon had let down.