As everyone left the room me and Ben readjusted ourselves in our bed, so we were more comfortable, I was now sat up rested against our headboard as Ben was laid down on his right-hand side cuddled into my stomach. As I looked down at him, I couldn't help but note his relief at the fact I was now awake; and when he pressed a kiss against my stomach I smiled as I started to run my fingers through his hair. When I looked up to see the others leave the room I watched as Adam threw a glance at Hades before he closed the door behind them all. I pursed my lips together as I looked back at my father, and I couldn't help but note a wound that was on his right cheek just under his eye.
"How did you get that wound on your face?" I questioned and I watched as his face dropped at this. "It wasn't there last time we spoke" I noted as Ben snuggled into my stomach again.
"No" he sighed. "That is recent" he added as he reached up and stroked it as he pursed his lips together.
"It looks it" I nodded. "What happened?" I enquired and I watched as something changed in his eyes, sorrow almost.
"It's off your mother" he stated bluntly.
"My mother?" I asked slowly as my eyes dropped in shock. What on Auradon was my father doing anywhere near my mother? As far as I knew my parents hated one another, unless they were fighting - which I wouldn't put it past them, as they had a history of doing so. "What happened?" I asked.
"Well, we did have a very brief reconciliation after I found out about you-" he began which made me take a deep breath in shock at this. "But that changed," he admitted. "When she found out something" he sighed.
"What?" I exclaimed.
"Well, this is what I need to speak to you about-" he started. "I found out a couple of days ago that I have another child" he continued which made me freeze. "Another daughter" he admitted, and I pulled one brow up in concern at this. So, it would appear that I have another sibling, another sister. I really didn't know how to take this, ever since I left college everything was changing. Yes of course I knew that it would change, but not like this. I never expected how the trial ended, the trial, or finding our additional family members.
My mind then went onto who my sister could be, and whether I had any relationship with them on the Isle. But saying that this relationship wasn't going to be a good one, I had fought with nearly everyone on the Isle - so my newfound sister probably hated me. I knew that Hadie probably had very mixed feelings about being my sister - given the last time I saw him I had him in a headlock before throwing him into a back alley after a fight.
"Right?" I said slowly. "So, I have a half-sister," I repeated.
"Yes" he nodded.
"Who?" I asked eagerly.
"Well, this is where it gets a bit-" he said. "Strange" he said slowly and smoothly.
"Ok" I nodded. "Who is my sister?" I repeated, eager to know who else belonged to my ever-growing family tree.
"Evie," he confessed.
"What!" I exclaimed. Evie was my half-sister! Of course, this wouldn't change anything, I thought of her as my sister anyway. But given the fact we were actually related was going to be a big deal for the pair of us. I was still coming to terms with finding out that Hades was my father. Evie, on the other hand, had come to terms with not knowing who her father was. Before finding out about Hades, me and Evie had had a lot of conversations in the past about who our fathers could be and neither one of us even imagined that Hades would be our father.
"Yes," he said, breaking me out of my train of thought. "The order of my children are you, Evie and Hadie," he confirmed. "Of course, I slept with Hadie's mother before Evil Queen; but Evie was born earlier" he explained.
"Right" I nodded. "I don't question what you are saying-'' I began. "But how did this news come about?" I asked wanting to know how it came about that Evie's father even came up on the Isle.
"Well-" he started. "After it was shown during the trial that I was your father" he advised, and I couldn't help nodding at this. "Then Evil Queen decided that she wanted to come clean, this did add some friction between your mother and Evil Queen" he continued to explain cautiously. "They fought" he stated, and he watched as my eyes widened in shock at this. "More of a slanging match" he dismissed. "I bore the brunch of the festivities" he grimaced. "Your mother struck me and told me to leave her alone, but not before jeering at Evil Queen" he added. "Apparently, she had your mother's sloppy seconds, what a wonderful thing to say!" he exclaimed as he raised both of his hands in the air.
"No figure" I muttered.
"But let's not worry about your mother" he dismissed. "I'm sure she will come around" he said as a hopefully glint entered his eyes.
"Why would you want her to come around?" I asked in confusion. "I thought you two hated each other," I added. "You only tolerated each other for a plot or a scheme" I continued in further confusion.
"It's a bit more complicated than that Mal" he told me.
"How?" I questioned.
"I have always had feelings for your mother," he admitted. "Never wavered" he stated as he pursed his lips together. "Even though I hate her guts" he confirmed.
"How is that even possible?" I enquired incredulously. I didn't even know how Hades could always have feelings for my mother! The amount of arguments and fights they had over the years. They hated each other! They told each other this! And the things that they had tried to do to each other didn't show love, or even any amount of feelings for one another. I should know, I witnessed it first-hand!
This whole conversation was so confusing to me, I really didn't know what to make of it. But then I told myself it wasn't my place to judge my father's feelings on my mother or to even understand it. My father had been very accepting of my relationship with Ben, and I knew that he probably didn't understand my relationship - but hopefully with time he may.
"Are you going to tell Evie?" I asked as I started to play with the hair on the back of Ben's head.
"I wanted to," he admitted.
"Yes?" I prompted.
"How do you think she will take it?" he put it to me, and I watched as concern filled his eyes.
"Well-" I started. "I know that knowing who her father is is something she has always struggled with," I admitted. "So, it would give her some closure" I added with a meek smile.
"How is she going to react?" he asked slowly.
"Is it anyone's guess" I shrugged.
"Would you help me?" he begged.
"What?" I said slowly.
"Will you help me tell her?" he asked before I could question this in the forefront of my mind. "You are better at words than me," he stated. "You'll be more sensitive than me," he decided.
"When do you want to do this?" I stated.
"We could do it now?" he offered. "While I am here" he smiled proudly.
"Ok" I nodded. "Ben, can you get Evie for me?" I asked as I looked down at him and I watched a meek smile spread across his face.
"Hmmm" he grunted as he slowly untangled his arms from me, and he sat up. "Also, what do you want to eat?" he asked as he looked over to my father. "I'll tell Mrs Potts" He advised.
"The works" my father grinned. "I have a very big appetite," he said slowly and smoothly.
"Ok" Ben nodded, and we both watched as he slowly climbed off the bed and stood up. We both then watched as Ben quickly walked to the bedroom door, opened it and closed it behind him. Me and my father look at each other for a few seconds and meekly smile at each other - yes, we were both obviously making an effort, but it still was awkward in parts, especially at the conversation that was about to happen.
Thankfully, Ben was only gone for a matter of moments, before our bedroom door opened and he walked back into the room, with a very confused looking Evie following him. As Evie closed the door behind her, Ben quickly walked back to the bed, and he climbed back onto the bed and took the position against my stomach just like he had been moments before. As I looked down at him as we both wrapped our arms around each other once more I made a mental note on how scared he still looked and made the decision that I was going to need to talk to Ben about this later. Or at least try and find a way to be able to talk to him about this, given the current situation that was currently hanging over us.
"Mal?" Evie said in confusion as she stood at the foot of our bed.
"Yes E?" I smiled up at her as I started to play with Ben's hair once more in a bid to calm him.
"Ben said you need to talk to me," she advised.
"Yes" I nodded. "That is correct" I confirmed as me and my father shared a hopeful glance. "Come and sit down" I asked, and I watched as she walked around the bed and she sat just below my feet on the bed. "I really don't know how to tell you this E-" I started.
"What?" she asked slowly, and I couldn't help but look over to Hades and he shrugged at me. "Hades has just told me about something that has happened over the last couple of days on the Isle" I explained slowly as I looked over to her.
"What?" she repeated. "Is my mother, ok?" she urged as she quickly looked over to Hades with concern in her eyes.
"Yes, she is fine" Hades nodded. "Perfectly fine," he added. "Very feisty" he smirked.
"What?" Evie said for the third time.
"E-" I began. "You know that Hades being declared as my father was shown on the news due to the trial" I reminded her.
"Yes" she nodded. "Well, that made your mother want to come clean about something, something that affects the both of us" I added. "In a good way" I quickly continued with a meek smile.
"What?" Evie said for the fourth time, and I nodded to myself as I quickly decided to just come right out with it.
"You're my half-sister," I told her. "Just like me, Hades is your dad" I stated, and I watched as Evie slowly looked over to Hades and he smiled as he slowly waved at her.
"Hello" he said smugly.
"Hello" she muttered. "Are you sure?" she urged in shock.
"As sure as I can be" he nodded. "Would explain your blue hair" he noted as he looked her up and down.
"Yes" she muttered.
"Are you ok E?" I questioned, and I saw her slowly look over to me as Ben slid closer to me.
"Yeah" she nodded. "It's just a shock," she admitted. "I need to speak to my mother!" she exclaimed. "Sorry I'm not doubting what you said" she quickly apologised as she looked over to Hades.
"Don't worry about" he dismissed as she quickly pulled her phone out. "It was a shock to me too" he advised, and we both sat quietly to give her the time that she needed to speak to her mother.
"Evie!" I heard Evil Queen exclaim after she answered the call after only two rings.
"Mama!" Evie exclaimed back.
"I'm guessing you've heard," Evil Queen stated. "We all know that Hades was taken to Auradon for some unknown reason" she added.
"Yes" she nodded.
"He's there isn't he?" Evil Queen asked and I could tell by the tone of her voice that she wasn't overly impressed at what Hades had done. "I wished he would let me tell you" She stressed.
"Yeah" Evie muttered as she pursed her lips together. "But I know now, and I want to hear it from you" she advised, and the room fell into silence for a few seconds.
"Yes," the Evil Queen finally said, breaking the silence. "It is true, Hades is your father," she confirmed. "Mal and Hadie are you half brother and sister" she advised, and the room fell into silence once more.
"Poppet?" she stated after a few seconds. "Are you ok?" she pressed.
"Yeah" Evie replied. "It's just a shock" she advised. "Not with Mal, I treat her like my sister anyway" she continued. "I just-" she started but stopped when she looked over to Hades. "Have always wanted to know who my father is; and now I know," she added as she looked back at her phone. "It's a big deal," she finished.
"Of course, it is" her mother answered. "I'm sorry for hiding it from you" she quickly apologised.
"It's ok mama," she said. "I understand why" she added. "I need to go, a lot to get my head around" she advised. "I'll ring you tonight, if that is ok?" she enquired.
"Of course, it" I heard Evil Queen answer. "Speak soon my little evilette" she stated proudly.
"Speak soon mama" Evie answered before hanging up and sliding the phone back into her dress pocket. "Sorry" she apologised to Hades again. "I just needed to hear it from her," she advised.
"It's fine" Hades dismissed again. "I understand, it was quite the shock for Mal too," he added. "She came across to Auradon to see me" he advised.
"I know" Evie confirmed. "She told me," She added.
"I can now see why you are glad that you are happy to leave for a few hours" I interjected.
"Yeah" Hades replied. "But I couldn't just leave one of my girls like that," he said smugly. "You are my daughter after all" he said proudly as he looked over to me.
"Yes" I smiled at him. "Thank you" I thanked him. "Does Hadie know?" I enquired.
"Yes" Hades nodded. "And he's not very happy," he explained.
"Why?" Evie asked.
"He doesn't like the fact that he is now the little brother," Hades explained. "Especially as Mal has taken his title" he winked at me.
"What title?" I questioned slowly.
"Well Mal-" he began. "As you are my oldest, you are my heir" he reminded me which made Ben look up at me. "Which means you are now the next in line for the throne of the Underworld" he declared. "If anything were to happen to me, it also means the pair of you are princesses of the Underworld" he told me which made me freeze. I was heir to the underworld! Again, I didn't know how to take this, this was something that I never expected. When I lived on the Isle Hadie kept stating proudly that he couldn't wait to take over the Underworld after his father, and I knew for a fine fact that I now had this title he was going to be destroyed.
I then thought about whether this was something that I wanted, and I had mixed feelings but then I stated that if it was my birth right then I had to take it. Yes, it may cause some tension, but as far as I was concerned there had always been tension where I was involved - chance of a fine thing if it was any different!
"I always knew you were a princess" Ben said happily, and when I looked down at him, I saw that he was smiling happily up at me.
"Benny" I cooed happily.
"Well, you are now" he stated proudly. "If Hades acknowledges you both" he said as he rolled over onto his back and looked over to my father.
"And I have" Hades confirmed as Ben slowly sat up and slid up to me before wrapping his right arm around my shoulders. "Everyone on the Isle now knows about Mal and Evie" he told the three of us. "But it probably needs to be added to your database" he suggested.
"I will" Ben nodded and we all heard a knock on our bedroom door. "Enter!" Ben called, we all then watched as the door opened and Mrs Potts walked in with three other members of staff with her. All of them were pushing two wheeled food tables into the room, which was full of a wide range of food and drinks.
"Wow!" Hades exclaimed as all four tables were pushed to the side close to him so he could use the coffee table in front of him if he wanted.
"I didn't know what you liked Hades," Mrs Potts said. "So, I did a mixture of things, I hope this is ok" she smiled warmly.
"This is amazing" he grinned as his eyes looked over all of the food and drink once more. I then watched as he sat up straight and he looked quickly over it once again as he decided what he was going to have first and I couldn't help but smile at this. After living on the Isle, I knew what the food was like; so, I knew that he was going to take full advantage of the food - as I would in Hades's position.
I then started to think about the family that I have, which was an ever-growing family. And even though it did come as a shock to me I wouldn't change any member of my family, I knew that I was going to have to build some bridges and build up some relationships - something of which I was very looking forward to doing.
As my father ate everything (and Mrs Potts packed some food so he could take it back with him) we talked about how things had been on the Isle recently and Hades told us that during the trial there were various groups of villains that were playing to boycott the whole thing. I couldn't help but purse my lips together, I actually expected this. However, I felt a chill run up and down my spine when I heard there were even plans to kidnap me and/or Ben, when Ben heard about this, I couldn't help but note that Ben took a deep breath in before he tightened his arms around me. We both looked up at each other for a couple of seconds before we shared a brief kiss before I rested my head against his right shoulder.
It was at this point when Hades stated that she was glad that me and Ben had found each other, he then added that he knew that he probably shouldn't care but as he got older, he wanted to have more of a relationship with his children, before it was too late. I did value what he was saying, it meant a great deal that at least one of my parents respected that I had chosen to be with Ben and the way of life that I had chosen for myself.
Hades also stated that he could see that Ben was going to look after me, which Ben confirmed. However, I don't think Ben was prepared for my father to tell him that he was watching him, which made him gulp. He also extended this to Evie and Doug as well - which I knew she found awkward as it probably felt against the grain, considering that Evie had just found out about our father.
Hades then stated that he wanted to make a gesture while he was in Auradon, which made me pull one brow up at this. It was at this point when Hades stood up and slowly walked up to me and when he was on the right-hand side of the bed, he held his closed right hand out to me. I then reached out, and he dropped something into my hand and when our hands pulled away from each other I froze in shock when I saw his ember in my right hand. When I questioned this, he stated that as I was his heir, he wanted me to have it; I told him that I felt honoured at this. And this was the truth, I couldn't believe that he would hand his ember to me. But it did show me that he was trying to build a relationship with me, which I valued dearly.
It was now the time with our father to leave, so after a quick goodbye to Ben, me and Evie the guards were then let back into the room, with Adam following them. I then watched as my father was chained and shackled again, before he was led from the room.
"We need to have a meeting with the Fates Mally" he told me as he continued to walk out of the room.
"Why?" I asked and I watched as he stopped and looked over to me.
"For the takeover of course" he smirked.
"Take over?" I said slowly.
"Yes" he confirmed. "I'm not getting any younger," he advised. "I would like to retire at some point my dear, even though I haven't been in my office for quite some time" he explained.
"I see," I noted.
"Yes" he advised. "So, I'll be in touch" he winked at me.
"I look forward to it" I winked back, and I watched as a large grin spread across his face before he slowly sauntered to the doorway.
"A pleasure as always Beast" he smirked.
"Of course," Adam answered bluntly. "It was nice to see you again," he said sarcastically.
"Oh, if I could only believe you" he advised. "But don't worry-" he added. "I think we may be seeing a lot more of each other soon," he said smugly.
"Maybe" Adam answered. "We will have to see," he added.
"Yes, we will" my father sang happily before he walked out of the room. The room then fell into silence as we listened as the noise of chains being dragged against the floor got quieter and quieter. When this noise completely disappeared, my eyes couldn't help but land on Evie and I saw that she was struggling with everything, and I made a decision.
"Ben" I said as I looked up at him.
"Aha?" he smiled happily.
"I know you want to spend time with me-" I started. "But I need to speak to Evie" I explained, and I watched as Evie threw me a confused look. "Alone" I added, and I watched as Ben's face dropped at this. "Please?" I asked and he pursed his lips together at this.
"Ok" he said as he meekly smiled.
"We will talk later baby" I told him.
"I know we will, my love" he smiled at me as he slowly got up and climbed off our bed. "I know you need time with Evie" he added as he said as he looked up at me.
"I'll try not to keep my Beast waiting too long" I teased, trying to make light of the situation.
"You better not" he winked at me as he turned and quickly walked towards our bedroom door. I then watched as he opened the door and left the room, but not before giving me a loving look that made my stomach start to flutter. I know that the last thing that Ben wanted to do was to leave me at the moment, after everything that had happened. And I did feel bad for being this but right now I needed to speak to Evie, my sister. I still couldn't believe that she was my half-sister, but I knew that deep down it wasn't going to change anything as we treated sisters anyway. But I knew that this was still going to mean a great deal to the pair of us.
I also wanted to make sure that Evie was ok, as I knew that not knowing who her father was was always a difficult thing for her to deal with - as it was for me. And as I had recently gone through this, I wanted to make sure that I was there to support her, even though my newfound relationship with my father was still very new to me.
I still couldn't believe how much things had changed not just for me but for members of my whole family since we left college. But we were strong, and we could get through anything, especially as we all had each other to get through this. I knew that I could face anything or anyone as long as I had my family by my side - especially Ben. My beautiful, handsome and incredibly supportive Beast.