Mal slowly woke up and had to immediately contain her panic at her unfamiliar surroundings and the fact that someone was pinning her arms to her side and her to the bed. Her panic didn't subside when she remembered that she had fallen asleep in Ben's room and increased at seeing the prince awake and staring at her.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." Mal winced at the nickname, but Ben took no notice. "I spoke to a guard while you were sleeping, he is looking into the reports from yesterday. Given all the witness's statements he has already sent me, the report will be trashed by the end of the day for false information. I'm pretty sure Audrey wrote one of them as I recognized her handwriting, but the other one is anyone's guess. Probably chad following Audrey's orders or queen Laya." Ben moved out of the bed and began looking through papers during his, seemingly practiced report.

Mal, keeping her eyes on the future king, moved out of the bed to put on her clothes from the previous day, but was surprised when they weren't on the chair where she left them. She thought that Maybe people in auradon DO steal clothes.

"I had a servant get you new clothes, it is not fitting for you to wear the ones from yesterday. Some people might assume something… more exiting happened between us." Ben didn't look up from the papers currently sitting on his desk, so he didn't see the way mal cowered away from his choice in phrasing. The VK quickly found the new bag of clothes and got dressed.

Mal was surprised to find that they had brought her favorite purple, leather pants, green shirt, and purple, leather jacket. Ben must have noticed her shock, as once she was dressed, he sheepishly said, "I liked that outfit last time you wore it. It looks good on you." The prince rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. More specifically he smiled the smile that confused mal to no end. It was like his friendly smile, the one he wore around his friends and at royal events, but it could also mean he was mad at her about something. Mal, noticing the iron ring back on ben's finger, decided her safest bet was just not to respond.

This proved to be a good idea as the prince shook himself out of his stupor and grabbed a schedule from his desk. "Oh yeah, the coronation is tonight so we should be ready with your turning good speech. Everything else is arranged to no one should need me unless there is an emergency, and they won't question me getting my girlfriend ready for the event." Ben reached out to grab Mal's arm, smiling to himself when she flinched ever so slightly. He knew she would be ready.

Ben drug mal though the hallways of auradon prep (by her hand, not her arm. That would be sus) and made his way to the building where the ceremony would be held.

Mal caught sight of Evie on their way there and tapped ben's shoulder to let him know she was going to take a minute to talk to her. Mal could see by the look on his face that this didn't make ben happy, but he nodded his approval and followed a few feet behind the fairy.

Mal practically ran to Evie and almost tacked her into a hug. Evie was too shocked to react, as this was something no one ever did on the isle. ESPECIALLY not mal. Her questions were soon answered when mal whispered in her ear "meet up with the boys. Discuss if you really want to try to pull this off." The fairy then pulled back without a response from Evie. She walked with ben but called over her shoulder, "Catch me up later!" to anyone else it would be a friendly farewell, but Evie knew it for what it really was. An order. And one she rushed off to follow. Although, the young witch did wonder while looking for the boys why their leader had this sudden change of heart.

"you need to use more feeling. No one is going to believe you if you just go through the whole speech monotone." Ben criticized her for the thousandth time. there always seemed to be something wrong with how she spoke.

Mal just rolled her eyes. "Ok how is this? You get crown, you and FG say words, and you motion me up." Mal emphasizes this by jumping on the little stage next to Ben. "we were supposed to steal Fairy godmother's wand but decided wreaking havoc here is far more fun than being beat and starved by our parents. Evie; you are smart, Jay; you do sports good, Carlos; you have a dog and Cruella is a bitch. Now let's party everyone!" Mal ends her speech with a sarcastic, low bow to her imaginary audience.

Ben laughed at his girlfriend's antics. "I suppose that is good enough, though I would recommend not calling Cruella a bitch, some would be opposed to your choice of words." Ben desperately tried to keep from smiling but was failing.

"But she is!" Mal cried in defiance, pretending to be offended.

They both laughed so hard the couple ended up hiccupping on the floor. "Ok, Ok, I can't argue with your logic." Mal pumped her fists and whooped. "why don't you go do your final dress fitting and I will meet you at the carriage at 6:30." Mal nodded and began her walk back to her dorm room he shared with Evie.

On her walk, mal allowed herself to zone out and think about ben. She thought about the way he could turn on a dime from Happy and supportive to angry and back again. Her mother would be impressed. Mal was most concerned about Ben's comment from that morning. The VK wasn't naive, she knew what ben was taking about when he said, "something more exiting", but she couldn't figure out why he would say it like that. Like it was something they might do. They were only supposed to be dating in the public eye so she could be Ben's big success story. Mal had just assumed that the plan was for her to say she turned good, then they would wait a few months and quietly break up. After all, the love spell was broken so Ben didn't love her, Right?

Mal only grew more confused by the time she reached her door. The purple-haired girl opened it to find her crew already inside. They all had just obviously stopped talking and were staring at her. Mal quickly shut the door and moved farther into the room and raised her eyebrow to signal to them to keep talking.

"Are you out of your mind?!" The aggressive question came from Carlos who immediately shrunk back in fear.

"Carlos, its not that bad an idea-" Evie started but was cut off by jay.

"No Evie! Our parents would kill us!" Jay whisper shouted in an attempt to keep people in the other rooms from hearing.

Mal pinched the bridge of her nose. "Jay, they have been stuck there for 20 years. Not to mention their plan is stupid." All the other VKs jaws dropped at Mal's blatant disrespect for her mother and her plans. Mal rolled her eyes in response. "Think about it, guys. The heroes that defeated our parents originally are still her plus all their children and their friends, not to mention all the other heroes who defeated other villains." Mal's crew considered her words.

After a few moments Carlos surprised everyone by being the first to talk. "Mal is right. Our parents would probably be sent back within a week. Along with us." He shrunk in on himself at the mere thought of going back to being Cruella's slave.

"Carlos!"

"Jay!" Evie and Jay locked eyes, having a silent conversation.

After a few moments, Jay threw up his hands. "Fine! But we better hope they never get our or it is on your head!" Jay shoved his finger into Mal's face, who simply shoved his hand away with little effort.

"ether way we have to get ready for the coronation." Mal looked to Evie when as spoke. Evie squealed in response and began to usher the boys out of the room.

Before he was forced out, Carlos grabbed Mal's sleeve to get her attention. "Mal, whatever you decide, we will follow your lead." A subtle nod from both Evie and Jay confirmed Carlos's statement. Carlos then left without a fight.

Mal simply sighed and resigned herself to her fate of being dressed up by Evie for the next few hours.

The time passed very quickly for mal as she just stewed in her own thoughts while Evie did all the work in doing her make-up and hair. Mal considered just going through with her mother's plan, but quickly disregarded it as Carlos had confirmed its terribleness. The fairy had then thought about what her crew could do, free in auradon with the wand, but after some thinking decided that becoming the only enemy for all the heroes in auradon would probably land the four back on the isle before they could so much as hatch a plot.

Mal ended her long thought train by resigning herself to the fact that she was going to have to go through with Ben's plan of playing good. At least until a better plan was formed.

Mal was in her dress and in full hair and make-up at 6:00, with just enough time to make her way to the carriage where she needed to meet ben and still have a few minutes to spare. Evie pushed her out the door, insisting "A princess must be early for her prince". Mal really needed to remember to punch the evil queen next time (if) she saw her.

Mal felt really out of place standing by the royal carriage in her big, princess dress, so much so that she was almost relieved when Ben showed up. The soon-to-be king wordlessly helped her into the carriage (as if she needed it) and climbed in after her.

The young couple rode together silently for a few moments until the reporters came into site and the prince grabbed Mal's hand, intertwining their fingers. Mal turned to Ben, a look of confusion on her face. "You will be fine." Ben said, misinterpreting mal's confusion at his display of affection for nervousness.

There were no problems on the ride to the coronation and the two kids got out of the carriage, walked the cleanest red carpet Mal had ever seen, and then split so mal could follow Ben's parents into the ceremony while been made his big entrance.

It mal had been confused by Ben displays of affection, Belle's motherly hug and hand on her shoulder really threw Mal for a loop.

Once everyone was situated, Ben moved toward the front with trumpets blaring from somewhere in the building. Mal just zoned out, waiting for ben's signal to move to the front for her "I'm good I swear" speech. Mal was close to falling asleep from how boring the ceremony was, when she was suddenly shoved from behind. Mal only caught a glimpse of a short figure with black hair, dressed in blue rush to the front.

Mal realized two things at the same time. one was; that was Jane, and two was" she was grabbing the fairy Godmother's wand. Mal's eyes instantly snapped to Ben's face, trying to show that this was not her. But Mal didn't need to do so as Ben's gaze was fixed on jane, who was currently struggling to control the wand.

"If you won't make me beautiful, I'll do it myself!" Jane proclaimed, barely staying on her feet because of all the magic running through her, but Mal didn't even spare the girl a glance. The fairy's attention was fixed on the new king and the familiar look in his eye.

Mal had seen that look on her boyfriend's face a few times; at the enchanted lake, in the iron cage, and in his office. As much as Ben and his emotions confused her, Mal knew with 100% certainty what that look meant. It meant pain, fear, and terror.

As much as Mal didn't like Jane, hell she had even revered her hair, she couldn't condemn anyone else to Ben's rage, and she was sure that Jane would not have the strength to come back from the horror of Ben's iron cage. So, in that moment, Mal made a snap decision.

The daughter of maleficent rushed forward as fast as she could move in her dress and snatched the wand from jane. Mal was surprised to find that she could handle the wand just fine. She was proud of her magical abilities, until she caught Ben's eye again.

The terror overcame mal when she saw that look she had feared so much was now directed at her again, thinking she was going to go through with her mother's plan. This was apparently what her friends thought too as they came running up behind their leader to watch her back so they could escape.

Ben took a step toward Mal, causing her to snap to attention and point the wand at ben, if only to keep his rage away for only a few seconds longer.

"you make your own choice." Ben said the words in an inspirational tone, but Mal read the threat that was written in between the lines of the statement. Mal rethought through all her plans from her time getting ready in only a second, only to feel defeated as she came to the same conclusion. She gave the smallest nod to ben to show him her choice.

Mal then launched into the speech Ben wrote for her, and she was glad he made her redo the speech a few thousand times and Mal could now just repeat it as her mind raced with anxious thoughts. Her words seemed to do the trick as her friends had committed to good alongside their leader. Mal jumped slightly when Ben came up behind her to join in on her pep talk. Mal breathed her first sigh of relief since getting to the coronation at his kind tone.

Mal's relaxation lasted for all of two seconds, until she looked into the face of the new king and felt her mouth dry immediately. Ben was mad.

Mal tried her best to enjoy the coronation's afterparty, but it was hard with the constant enraged glances from her boyfriend. Mal worked hard to keep up her brave act to keep anyone from suspecting her fear.

Mal felt her heart drop into her feet when ben approached her while she was talking to Lonnie and announced he was going to give her a ride home. Lonnie bit them both a goodnight with a suggestive wink that made mal want to throw up and left them to walk out of the party.

The moment the two were out of sight of the crowd, Ben grabbed onto Mal's arm Hard, causing her to hiss at the burn of his iron ring. Mal tried to explain that she wasn't trying to betray him, but nothing came out of her mouth except a small sob that ether came from fear or the burning pain, she didn't know which.

Ben pushed the scared girl into a car with only the front seats, getting in after her and locking the door so she was trapped. Ben refused to speak and mal decided it was probably a bad idea to talk first, so the ride was filled with tense silence. Mal didn't say anything when they passed the dorms, but once they started to pass the enchanted lake Mal started to get scared.

"Ben I-" Mal tried to speak.

"Be QUIET!" Ben practically roared at the girl, causing Mal to shrink back into silence.

The couple pulled into a familiar shack. Mal was borderline shaking as Ben get her out of the car and dragged her to the lift that would carry them down into Mal's personal hell. Mal fought with everything she had to yank her arm from Ben's iron grip. She yanked, pulled, and twisted to break his grip but it was all for nothing when, the moment she had earned some wiggle room in her struggles, Mal was struck with a backhanded slap so hard it caused her to fall to the ground.

Mal's vision swam and, despite her best attempts to get away, she felt the newly crowned king wrap his hand around her throat and drag her into the iron cell gasping desperately for breath. When The fairy's vision came back, she saw that she was laying in the middle of the iron cell with ben leaning against the closed.

Once he saw that the VK had gained her Barings, Ben moved off the door and toward mal, who had begun to scoot backwards to put some distance between herself and her boyfriend. Mal stopped just shy of hitting the iron bars and started to stand up to face the king with pride. However, before Mal could get much more than her feet underneath her before Ben pushed her into the ground, straddling her, and pinning her wrists above her head.

Mal had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach about the position the king had put her in. The fairy started kicking and struggling, determined to get herself away from the man.

"Be still!" ben hissed and drove his knee into the soft part of the girl's stomach, knocking the wind out of her, and scaring her even more. Ben then situated his hands so one was holding both her wrists in place and the other was wrapped in Mal's purple hair, pulling her head back so she couldn't look anywhere but his face.

"You were going to betray me." The king said it as a statement with little emotion. "why?" Ben noticed mal trying to answer but couldn't get enough air, so he eased the weight off the knee still embedded in her stomach just enough so she can breathe but definitely not enough for her to be comfortable.

"No… I… wasn't" Mal coughed out the moment she had enough air.

Ben was less than impressed with her denial as he removed his hand from the girl's hair and used it to crack her across the face yet again. He then wrapped his hand back around her hair and yanked it hard enough to make the girl yelp in pain.

"I saw you think about it. You aimed the wand at me! How to you expect me to believe your lies when I saw the truth with my own eyes?" Mal didn't respond to Ben's question, as she knew it was partly true, even if the main reason she grabbed the wand was to get it away from jane. Ben sighed and moved off mal.

"I didn't want to have to do this mal, but you made me." The king walked toward the cage door. Mal struggled to her feet and stumbled after him, only to have to cage door slam in her face, burning her in the process.

"Ben?" mal asked qietly, not understanding what he was doing. Ben simply looked at her with a sad expression, as though he really felt bad about dragging her back down into that pit. "Ben, where are you going?" the king had turned and was walking for the lift that was used to take people outside. Mal slammed her fist into the bars, forgetting for a moment that they were iron and ignored the burning in her arm.

"This is a time-out Mal. I know you were just reacting to the situation, but I am still really disappointed in you." Ben said right before he was lost to Mal's view die to the lift reaching the shack floor.

Mal screamed a string of curses at the king, proclaiming how he couldn't just leave her there, but she got no response. Mal screamed until her throat was dry and raw, but no one answered. Eventually Mal had to move away from the sides of the iron cage as it was taking to much energy from her.

So Mal dragged herself to the center of the iron cell, as far away from the toxic substance as she could possibly get in her little hell hole. Mal sat in the center of the cage and became overwhelmed with fear and pain. For the first time in her life, Mal began to cry.

Authors note: apologies this took a while. my fricken fracken computer had a seizure or something so I had to rewrite this chapter 3 times.

also, in case it was confusing, mal got to jane before she could blow a hole in the barrier in my version. this is my fanfiction fool.