Welcome back guys! I know that time has passed since the last update in this story but as you can probably tell by my page I have been trying to get my story count down. I know this isn't much consolation to you; as I know you want to know where I plan to take Ben and Mal in this particular story. I do get it, we all have invested a lot of time in this series, I only hope that you enjoy what I have planned. I don't think there is anything more to say apart from I hope you enjoy this series of chapters, I have a feeling that they won't disappoint. Much love, RSD xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.
Me and Ben continued to hold each other tightly in silence as we both took in our situation, as we did this Adam and Belle quickly excused themselves to go and get our transport to South Beauty arranged. Part of me fell into a panic when they left the room as my mind was fixated on the fact that if anyone found out that me and Ben had been on our own, even for a few moments, then it would mean the end for our relationship. Ben must have picked up on this as he pressed his smooth and warm lips against mine for a few moments, and when he pulled away he gave me my favourite crooked smile in a bid to reassure me. Normally this did, but right now it only helped slightly.
I started to feel my stomach churn as my mind started to spitefully show me what might happen if Leah gets her way and this proposition ended up tearing us apart. I saw images of me having to leave Auradon Castle as Ben painfully looks on, Audrey attempting to restart her failed relationship with Ben, other women in the Kingdom attempting to try and throw their names into the hat to be Ben's next consort. I then saw images of me having to try and find some sort of happiness in a life without Ben, but I knew that this was never going to be the case, even if I was able to find some small shred of happiness it was never going to be anything like what I had with Ben. Ben was everything to me, he was my world. And I hated the fact that me and him were yet again fighting for our relationship. I know that deep down Ben thinks that we keep going through these situations because of who he is but the more situations we were put up against it made me realise this wasn't the case. It was because of who I was!
Lady Leah and the other members of 'The Order' have always made their opinions very known about me since they have met me so it never came as a surprise that they were behind all these situations that me and Ben came up against. I just hated the fact that because of me Ben had to suffer, I knew that he would never blame me for any of this - but this didn't mean that I wasn't going to blame myself!
During situations like this I couldn't help but start hating myself, for who I was and where I came from. Of course I tried to push these dark feelings away, as none of them were actually my fault. But I couldn't lie to myself and say that it was easy to do because it wasn't. My mind then went on to how I was going to have to deal with this proposition, yes Ben said he was going to look into it but there was a small part of me that was telling myself that I had to prepare for the worst. I had to mentally prepare myself for the eventuality that me and Ben might not have any unsupervised time until our wedding night. I knew that the pair of us was going to hate it! We hated being kept apart at the best of times, but this was going to be for months! Yes we would still see each other, but the privacy of our relationship was now compromised. Every word, smile, hug, kiss and touch was now going to be monitored - and I knew that me and Ben was going to struggle immensely with this.
I really hoped that this proposition didn't stand, me and Ben had already been through so much. Surely it was time that me and Ben deserved a break! Yes Lady Leah and her band of merry men probably thought that we didn't deserve one, but given the recent trial I didn't care for their opinions. I was past them! All I wanted was for them to leave me and Ben alone so we could start to live the rest of our lives together.
My painful mental anguish was thankfully broken when Belle walked back into the room to tell us that Dawson was ready with the car out front. I then watched as Ben nodded at this before telling his mother that me and Mal would go and pack our things together for the drive. Part of me didn't want to get off Ben's lap, I wanted to stay there but I knew that we had to go to South Riding - even though the thought of it was currently making me feel sick to my stomach. I tried to push this thought away as I climbed off Ben's lap and I let him slide his right hand into my left before he led me out of his office, with his mother following us with a concerned look on her face.
When me and Ben got into our suite our hands fell from each other as we both split off to go and get our things together. I secretly hoped that we weren't about to spend the night at Beauty Castle, this was nothing against King Phillip or Queen Aurora, but right now the only place that I wanted to be was here with my Beast. Thankfully when I asked Ben how long we were going to be in South Riding for he told me that it was only going to be for the meeting - which quite frankly was music to my ears. I hated how this situation was making me feel and we were only minutes into it. I hated how my mood was so defeated and deflated at the moment, it felt like nothing was ever going to lift it - which was something that I knew that I was going to have to pull myself out from, no matter how hard it was.
I also didn't want to inflict my bad mood onto others, so a shortened stay at Beauty Castle was probably the right thing to do for everyone all round. The last thing that I wanted right now was to be anywhere near Lady Leah; the fact that she had done this to me and Ben again just made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't bear to be around her with her smug smile at the fact that she was causing me and Ben some discomfort. I know that her hatred for me was based on what my parents had done to her, but I just felt tired of the whole situation with her. I had never done anything against her, even when I first came to Auradon. And the fact that she could treat me in such a way hurt me a great deal - something of which I never thought I would be able to heal from.
After me and Ben had everything packed together in our bags we both then gave each other a nervous glance before Ben offered me his right hand. I meekly smiled as I stepped forward and took his hand. When I felt the warmth of his hand smoothly press against mine as he interlocked his fingers with mine I couldn't help but sigh. If this proposition stuck then it meant that the contact that me and Ben were going to be able to have until our wedding night was going to be limited. Yes I know that me and Ben were a very physical couple but I wasn't thinking about sex right now, right now what concerned me was the fact that every move and word we said and done was now going to be watched. I felt like Lady Leah and her so-called order have potentially taken away some of the excitement that me and Ben should be feeling leading up to our wedding. But as Ben led me from the room I made a promise to myself, no matter what this was going to be the last time that Lady Leah, Aphrodite, Princess Tabitha and the rest ever stuck their noses into mine and Ben's relationship.
Me and Ben, shortly followed by Belle, watched through Auradon Castle in silence. Right now I hated the fact that I was part fairy as I didn't just have to deal with my own anguish and concern - I was also feeling theirs as well. Of course I would never blame them for their feelings, I just felt that it escalated my feelings somewhat - and it was even to the point that I wouldn't actually be surprised if I didn't suffer an EI very soon. I just hoped that this wouldn't be anywhere near Leah - I didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing me in pain.
When the three of us got to the main hall I noted that Adam was standing there with his and Belle's bag, when his eyes landed on me and Ben I felt another wave of concern and upset wash over me as Adam's feelings collided with mine, Ben's and Belle's. I took a couple of deep breaths to help contend with this - hoping that I was going to be strong enough to see this meeting through.
We then followed Adam outside, where we were met with Dawson standing next to the left passenger back door of the limousine already open for us. I smiled meekly at him as me and Ben watched his parents climb into the car before sliding onto the seat on the left hand side, leaving me and Ben to take the back seat. Ben then looked down at me and gestured for me to climb in and I nodded as I let go off his hand before climbing into the car and slid next to the window. I quickly put on my seatbelt and rested down into the seat as Ben slid in next to me, so he was now sitting on my left hand side. I bit down on my bottom lip as I started to work on my breathing to try and keep my emotions at bay; but given the mental anguish that I was currently going through - I didn't know how long I was going to hold out for.
The drive to South Riding was painfully long with us sitting in near enough silence on mine and Ben's part. Adam and Belle kept trying to get the pair of us to talk, but after half an hour of failing they gave up and talked amongst themselves - obviously wanting to give us the space and time that we needed. I didn't know how long we had been driving before I felt cold tears start to run down my cheeks as I was looking out of the window, I went to wipe my tears away but before I knew it Ben suddenly slid closer to me and pulled me into a tight hug.
"Everything will be ok my love" he muttered into my bright purple locks as I snuggled my face into his chest as the tears continued to flow.
"I promise" he vowed before I felt him press a kiss against the top of my head. I tightened my arms around his waist as I let myself succumb to the waves of emotion that had been engulfing me. I only hoped that this was going to help me find the strength for confronting Lady Leah.
After crying into Ben's chest for Hades how long I pulled away and reached over for my bag to sort my makeup out, as I did this Ben's arms didn't leave mine. I knew that it was hard for him to see me like that so after I was finished sorting my makeup out and in a bid to reassure him somewhat I pushed my face closer to his and I pressed my lips against his. I did intend for it to only be a brief kiss, but Ben quickly deepened the kiss and I smiled against his lips when I felt his tongue sweep across my lips. I grinned as I opened my mouth slightly to give him what he wanted and I moaned as his tongue slid against mine. There was a time when I wouldn't kiss Ben like this in front of his parents, but that time had passed. They knew that me and Ben loved each other, very much and by the fact that the only thing to stop our kiss was our aching lungs when we needed to breathe - they were still giving us the time we needed together.
As we calmed our breathing down I heard my phone go off in my pocket; I then reached into my pocket and pulled my phone out to read:
"Hey M, just wondered whether you wanted to hang out tonight? We haven't had girls night in a while and since so much has happened recently I thought you would like it. E xxxxxxxxx"
I sighed as I looked down at the text, there was nothing more that I wanted right now was to go have a girls night with Evie. It meant that I would be able to escape the reality of what me and Ben were currently going through, but me and Ben had to see this through. We had to show Lady Leah that she couldn't push us around, so with a heavy heart I responded:
"Hey E, I would love to have a girl's night but I can't tonight. Me and Ben have been called away for emergency business. The life of a royal, right? Could we do it another night? Would love to have some calm from the mayhem we have been having recently. M xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
As I sent the text I started to feel guilty; I know that Evie will find out sooner than later about this proposition but right now I couldn't bring my heart to tell anyone about it. There was still part of me that hoped that this was just a nightmare that I was about to wake up from, but this wasn't going my way apparently. I then quickly slid my phone back into my pocket before I cuddled back into Ben, hoping that it wouldn't be much longer before we arrived at Beauty Castle, just so we could get this whole sorry mess over and done with.
As we pulled to a stop I involuntarily took in a deep breath, this was it! We were finally here! There was no turning back now! In a matter of minutes I was going to be in Lady Leah's company, something of which, I could really do without right now. I watched as the door opened and we all undone our seat belts and when I looked over to Beauty Castle I saw that King Phillip and Queen Aurora was standing there, looking very confused as to why we were there. If only you knew I thought to myself as we started to all climb out of the car. If only you knew what your mother was trying to achieve now.
"Hello" King Phillip and Queen Aurora chorused as we stepped up to the pair of them. I quickly wondered where Audrey was but I quickly dismissed this. The last person I needed to know about this was Audrey, yes she was currently in a relationship with Ben but I had a gut feeling that she is going to be waiting in the wings when she gets wind of this proposition.
"Hello" me, Ben, Adam and Belle all said together with meek smiles on our faces.
"I wished that our meetings were a happy occasion-" Queen Aurora started. "It would appear recently they are not" she noted.
"Well hopefully after this one Queen Aurora-" Ben replied. "This will be the last" he stated as he squeezed my right hand in his left.
"Fingers crossed," she answered.
"We have a meeting room already set up for you" King Phillip explained as he lifted his right arm to gesture us to enter their castle.
"Thank you," Ben answered. "Sorry for this intrusion" he quickly apologised as we started to follow the pair of them into their home. "But this could not be ignored," he stressed. I watched as the both nodded at this before we all fell into silence again, with all six of us not knowing how the conversation with Lady Leah was about to go.
"So how can we help you?" Queen Aurora asked after we had all taken to our seats in one of the meeting rooms in Beauty Castle.
"Between us?" Ben offered.
"Of course" she smiled back.
"Queen Elsa came back today-" Ben began to explain. "To show us something that had been waiting for her on her desk" he went on to say.
"Right?" King Phillip interjected. "What?" he questioned the pair of them.
"This" Ben stated as he opened his bag and picked up the proposition and he slid it over the table to them so they could read it. The room fell into silence as they both read the proposition and I watched as their faces dropped before they both slowly looked over to me and Ben. "It would appear that your mother had a final ace up her sleeve" Ben stated sadly. "This should have been included in the trial; but as I wasn't made aware of it" he added. "And the fact that the council members that have signed it probably thought they were looking in my best interests" he added. "It would appear that this situation is far from over" he sighed as he slid his right hand into my left under the table.
"It would appear so" King Phillip sighed sadly as he slid the proposition back to Ben.
"Unfortunately" Adam interjected as Ben pulled the proposition in front of him.
"So as you have probably guessed we have come to speak to your mother about this" Ben explained. "Yes I don't know if there is anything that can be done, given that she has already received her punishment" he added. "But this can't be ignored" he finished solemnly.
"Of course" Queen Aurora replied.
"I also need to test and discuss the validity of it," Ben stated. "Enough people have signed it to make it stick" he sighed again. "Even if it was done on their behalf" he stated as he pursed his lips together as I looked down at the table in front of me. I hoped that as some of the signatures had been done on behalf of some of the constituencies that this meant that it didn't stand. I then started to think about whether these constituencies would have signed it anyway if they had received the proposition themselves, and to be honest I felt defeated at the fact that me and Ben were probably going to be in this situation regardless.
"Dame Mal" I heard Queen Aurora say.
"Yes" I said as I slowly looked up at her.
"I know that this is hard for you-" she began. "But please don't let this try and beat you," she stressed. "You both are a strong couple" she insisted. "And I know that even if this sticks you both will find a way of getting through it" she finished with a fond smile.
"Thank you Queen Aurora" I meekly smiled at her.
"You're very welcome" she answered.
"That title is still taking some getting used to" she chuckled.
"I know the feeling" I chuckled back.
"I'll go and get my mother" she stated as her face dropped at the prospect of going to get her mother from her rooms. "But of course I'll not tell her why you are here" she stated as she stood up.
"Thank you Queen Aurora" Ben meekly smiled as she started to head to the door. As she opened the door she turned and gave us another meek smile before she left the room, with us all very apprehensive at what was about to happen next with Lady Leah.