Before I knew it Dawson was pulling to a stop outside of Evie's apartment block; in all honesty Evie's apartment block was only around twenty minutes from Auradon Castle. And her apartment block was situated right in the middle of the city centre, which I felt was great as I knew that this would help in the long run as I knew that Evie wanted to open her own shop in Auradon City Centre at some point.
"Thank you, Dawson!" I called as he opened his car door. "You're very welcome Dame Mal" he smiled before he climbed out of the car and closed the door behind him. I went to open the car door, but I was stopped when the door opened, and Dawson stepped to the side. "Just let me know what you want picking up" he advised as I climbed out of the car and stood next to him.
"I will do" I nodded as I stepped forward and I went to go and close the door, but Dawson stopped me.
"Dame Mal allow me" he smiled as he closed the door.
"I can manage Dawson" I chuckled.
"I know you can" he answered as he looked down at me. "But you are the King's consort, I need to" he insisted.
"Ok" I nodded at this; even after all of this time people doing things for me was still overwhelming. However, I knew that this was probably going to get worse when I married Ben and became Queen, another change that I knew was going to take some getting used to.
"I'll just wait until you go in" he advised and when I pulled one brow up at him and then it came to me.
"Ben's instructions?" I questioned.
"Yes, Dame Mal" he nodded.
"Ok" I repeated. "See you later Dawson" I said.
"See you later Dame Mal" he answered, and I turned and quickly walked up to Evie's block. As I started to walk towards it, I looked at the very modern look of it; and I remembered that Evie told me that they had just been built; and that she and Doug lived in number 48 – a penthouse apartment.
When I got to the intercom, I quickly pressed the number '48' button; and it was a few seconds before I heard Evie's voice.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hello E" I repeated.
"I'll let you in" I heard her say happily and I heard a loud buzzing noise which told me that she had unlocked the door for me. I then pushed the door open and stepped into the building; and when I closed the door after me, I waved at Dawson, who smiled as he waved back. I then turned and walked towards the lifts and pressed the button; the light grey metallic lift doors whirred open quickly and I quickly stepped in and turned around. I looked down at the number and pressed the number for the top floor; and I started to watch the door slowly close before I heard a voice.
"Oh, wait up!" a deep voice called before he jumped into the lift, causing the doors to reopen once more. He then smiled at me for a few seconds before he pressed the button for the floor that he wanted before he stood on my right-hand side. I watched as he started to get nervous as I took in his appearance, he was tall with green eyes. His blonde hair was cut short at the side and the back, but it was longer in the front with a sweeping fringe over his eyes. He was currently wearing a light blue denim jacket with a light pink top underneath it. He was also wearing black jeans and a black fanny pack over his left shoulder. And I couldn't help but note that he was also wearing a gold chain around his neck, small silver bracelet on his right wrist and a black ring on his right pointer finger. "Sorry" he quickly apologised.
"It's ok" I dismissed. "At least you caught it" I teased.
"Yeah" he smiled as the doors closed. "My name's Alex Acer" he said nervously as he offered me his right hand.
"Mine's Mal Faery" I answered politely as I shook his right hand with my left.
"Oh, I know who you are" he smiled as we dropped our hands from each other. "Everyone knows who you are" he quickly added.
"Yeah" I replied as I pursed my lips together. "That does tend to follow me around a little bit" I chuckled.
"I see" he noted as he slightly nodded. ''Are you visiting a friend?" he questioned politely.
"Yeah" I confirmed. "Evie" I added. "You?" I questioned.
"No, I live here" he advised. "Number thirty two" he added.
"Cool" I replied. "Lived here long?" I asked, still making small talk with Alex.
"About six months, I moved straight in as soon as they were finished building them" he explained.
"Do you like it?" I said.
"Yeah" he nodded. "My flat is amazing" he grinned as the lift came to a stop.
"Good" I said as the doors quickly opened.
"See you around" he advised happily as he started walking out of the lift.
"No doubt you will Alex" I grinned. "Goodbye" I added, and I watched as he smiled at me before he walked out of the lift. The lift doors then quickly snapped shut and I felt my stomach flutter as the lift took off once more. "He seemed nice" I muttered to myself; and I smiled to myself as the doors snapped open and I quickly stepped out of it and started to walk down the corridor. And my smile only got bigger when I noticed that Evie was standing at her flat door waiting for me.
"Hey!" she called happily as I walked up to her.
"Hey!" I sang back happily as I stepped into her arms, and we shared a quick hug. "You only saw me yesterday" I teased as we broke apart. "I know" she smiled as she stepped to the side, and I stepped into the flat. "But this is different" she answered as she followed me into the flat and closed and locked the door behind us. "We are on our own, we can have a chat" she smiled at me as she walked up to me and started to lead me into her new home.
"Yeah" I smiled as we both stood still as I took in the sight of Evie and Doug's new apartment. Yes, there were still boxes and cases still at the side, but this didn't stop me from looking at the rest of the flat. There were glass windows that fell from the ceiling to the floor on the left-hand side wall, which meant that you could see the beautiful view of Auradon City around us. In the centre of the flat there were a couple of newly bought dark blue leather couches that still had the plastic, see through covers on them with a coffee table that was still in its box to be put together in front of it. A large plasma TV was already mounted onto the wall on the right-hand side above a currently unlit fire. And there were a series of large chandelier light fittings that were littered around the ceilings, that were currently unlit due to the white blinds that were currently open. The walls were painted white, and the floors were covered in light yellow laminate flooring, but there were dark blue and mint green shag mats were littered across the floor. The flat was an open plan living room, kitchen that led onto a large balcony that swept along the side of the building. Finally, there was a staircase in the top right-hand side which I could only imagine that this led to the bedrooms and the other rooms that Doug was going to use as either bedrooms, bathrooms, offices, work rooms, or guest rooms.
"It looks lovely" I noted as I turned to look at her.
"It's a mess at the minute" she shrugged.
"Do you want any help with anything?" I enquired.
"Mal I didn't ask you over here to help" she stated.
"I know that" I answered. "But I'd like to help" I offered. "Saying that- "I began. "It's only continuing what I have done today" I explained.
"What do you mean?" she questioned in confusion.
"I moved my things into the right wing of the castle" I advised.
"Including your clothes?" she asked slowly.
"Yes" I nodded. "I have tried to sort it like you would; but I know that you will probably want to check" I stated. "I know how you are with sorting my clothes" I smiled warmly at her.
"Yes, well you would just have it any way" she teased, and I couldn't help but chuckle at this. For as long as we have been in Auradon Evie has been very OCD not just with her own clothes, but mine, Jay and Carlos's as well. The three of us just let her get on with it as she had made these clothes after all, so we only thought it was fair that she organised them. As when we tried, she only went in and moved them to where she wanted them anyway.
"Well, when I have things sorted, I'm sure you'll move anything that I have put in the wrong place" I said. "Anyway- "I started, hoping to move the conversation on a little bit. "Should we do the coffee table?" I asked.
"Ok" she smiled. "I'll go and get us drinks" she advised. "Wine?" she asked.
"Yeah thanks" I grinned as I put my bag onto one of the couches and sat on the floor next to the box of the coffee table as Evie went to go and get us some drinks. As I started to open the box, I started to get excited to have some private time like this with my sister; I loved the fact that we were out of the public eye, and we could just be Mal and Evie – something I think we both needed right now.
As we put together the coffee table, we drank white wine and we discussed everything that had happened recently starting from the proposition to finding out what Evie was in fact my half-sister. Everything that had been overwhelming for the pair of us, admittedly me more than Evie. But still finding her family was still a big deal for Evie, just like me she felt as if she finally had the answers that she had been looking for for her whole life.
After we had fully discussed everything, I made a decision, I just hoped that Evie wasn't going to be annoyed at me and Ben, mostly Ben, for keeping it from her.
"E- "I started. "I need to tell you something" I advised, and I watched as she looked up at me after she just flattened the cardboard box the coffee table was in and put it to the side. "But I don't want you to say anything, not even to Jay and Carlos yet" I quickly added as she started to walk back towards me. "I want to tell them" I pressed as I sat down on one of the leather couches. "Please?" I begged.
"Ok" she said as she sat down on my left-hand side. "Well, that doesn't worry me" she muttered, and I nodded at this.
"First of all- "I began. "I don't want you to be angry at Ben for keeping this from you, as it is my decision whether I tell people or not" I stated.
"Ok" she nodded. "So, I was right" she said as she pursed her lips together. "So, something else happened?" she enquired.
"Yes" I confirmed before taking a couple of deep breaths to steady myself before I started to tell her about me transforming into a dragon. "Remember when Ben said that after my confrontation with Leah, he took me to the Enchanted Lake to calm down?" I stated as I decided that this was probably the best place to start.
"Yeah" she nodded.
"That isn't strictly true" I replied.
"How so?" she asked.
"I took myself there" I answered. "And Ben had to come and find me" I continued.
"I see" she noted. "Well, I can see why you would have gone off for some time alone after what had happened with Lady Leah" she added sympathetically.
"Well, I didn't exactly go off" I winced, and I didn't know she was about to react to what I was about to tell her.
"What do you mean?" she questioned in confusion.
"I flew" I muttered as I nervously fidgeted with the rings on my right finger.
"Flew?" she repeated slowly.
"I was so angry after the confrontation; my magic got a bit much" I stated nervously as I pursed my lips together.
"Right?" she said slowly. "What happened?" she asked after I hadn't said anything for a few seconds.
"I changed" I muttered.
"Changed?" she repeated.
"Into a dragon" I admitted.
"What?" she asked as face fell into shock. The room fell into silence as Evie took in what I had just told her. "Like your mother?" she finally said, breaking the silence.
"Yes" I nodded.
"Wow!" she exclaimed.
"I know" I muttered as I started to stare into space in front of me as I started to remember me transforming. "I don't even know how I did it" I admitted. "I just remember feeling so angry and like I wanted to be sick" I continued as I let my mind continue to relive the memory. "So, I made Ben stop the car; and when I got out something just snapped" I finished as I slowly looked up at her to see a sympathetic look on her face.
"Did anyone see you?" she asked.
"I guessed not" I shrugged. "It would have been in the papers by now" I reminded her.
"Totally" she agreed. "I can see why Ben didn't want to say anything" she added.
"Yeah" I agreed as I pursed my lips together.
"Are you ok?" she asked as she slid her right hand into my left. "That was probably hard for you" she noted.
"It was" I confirmed. "But I always knew that there was a chance that it could happen" I added. "Given who my mother is" I sighed.
"Yeah" she replied. "It also explains why so much magic was flowing through you" she stated.
"Yeah" I sighed again.
"Thanks for telling me Mal" I heard her say, which made me look up at her to see a warm smile on her face.
"Thanks for promising not to tell anyone" I smiled back. "I really don't want it to get out, imagine the backlash" I continued as I pulled a face.
"It's not worth thinking about" she replied.
"No" I said as I shook my head.
"Anyway, let's change the subject" she quickly said. "As I don't think you want to linger on this for very long" she said.
"No" I repeated. "So, what do you want to talk about?" I continued.
"Well, we could start making tea?" she suggested. "So, something ready for Doug for when he comes in" she smiled.
"What a lovely housewife you are" I teased as we both stood up.
"Well, that is what my mother trained me for" she giggled as we both started to walk towards the kitchen. I was really glad that Evie had invited me over to have this time with her, it was exactly what I needed right now – time with my beloved sister.
We made spaghetti Bolognese from scratch, and garlic bread as we were doing this Evie asked me whether I wanted to stay over. I questioned whether this was ok, and Evie told me that I could stay over any time that I wanted. I told her that I might take her up on that, especially given the fact that I was living in the right wing, I might want some company every now and again. Evie states that she and Doug would be happy to have me any time – something that I was very grateful for.
So, after we had finished our food we put it in the slow cooker, and we then went to make up one of the spare rooms for me for the evening. When we had done this Evie then gave me some clothes that I could borrow to wear for bed, and we then went back downstairs to find a film on Netflix and drink some more wine.
After we had watched some vampire film, I then noticed that it was nearly half nine; so, I then told Evie I was going to go and Facetime Ben for a little bit. Evie just simply nodded at this before telling me that she was going to work on a dress while she waited for me to be finished speaking to Ben or Doug came home, whichever came first.
I then quickly went to my room for the night and I quickly texted Ben to ask him if I could Facetime him for a little bit. As I quickly got changed, I saw that Ben told me that he was ready. So, when I was dressed in a white V-neck t-shirt and light blue shorts, I then placed my phone against the back against the end of the wood frame at the end of the bed and I Facetimed my Beast.
"Hello" I said when his face came into view.
"Hello" he smiled at me, and I watched as he looked down at the clothes I was currently wearing. "Well by the looks of it you are ready for bed" he noted as he looked back up at my face.
"Yeah" I agreed. "E asked whether I wanted to stay over, so I said I would" I confirmed. "We are not ready for bed yet, but I knew that you would be close to going to sleep" I advised. "And I wanted to speak to you" I added.
"Is anything wrong?" he said as his face dropped into concern.
"No" I said as I shook my head. "Why would you think that?" I questioned in confusion.
"Well, you said you wanted to speak to me" he explained.
"I tend to want to speak to you at the end of the day" I chuckled.
"Mal I was teasing you" he stated as I watched a playful glint entered his calm, leaf green eyes.
"Really Benny?" I asked sarcastically and I watched as a large grin spread across his face.
"So how is your evening going?" he questioned, obviously trying to change the conversation.
"It's nice" I smiled. "We've been drinking wine, eating pasta and watching films; I also Evie put up her coffee table" I advised.
"That was nice of you" he replied happily. "I can just imagine you now" he purred. "There with your tool kit, very sexy" he flirted.
"You seem deprived of me Ben" I flirted back.
"Always Mally" he chuckled. "Always" he added happily, and I watched as his eyes dropped down slightly before looking back up at my face. "You do know the way you have propped this phone up I can see down your top" he smirked. "Given how you are lying" he winked at me.
"I honestly didn't notice that" I stated as I looked down my top before looking back at him. "But I don't really think that is much of a problem" I started to flirt with him. "Given that you have seen it all before" I reminded him smugly.
"Yes" he smiled smugly back. "And I can't wait to see it again" he advised with another playful look in his eyes.
"You are such a perv!" I exclaimed.
"Only for you my love" he returned proudly.
"I know" I answered. "And I do get what you mean" I continued. "I can't wait to see you naked either" I purred, and I watched as another large grin spread across his face.
"I'll make it worth your while" he offered.
"Is that a promise?" I questioned suggestively.
"No" he said as he shook his head. "That's a guarantee" he added in a playful tone.
"You are such a flirt" I giggled.
"So are you" he accused playfully.
"I am not!" I pretended to gasp. "You are just a bad influence" I said in mock seriousness.
"Hey!" he exclaimed. "You are the bad girl in this relationship" he mocked, warning me.
"Be that as if may- "I sang suggestively. "But you are a bad boy too Benny" I smirked at him, and I grinned at him when I watched as a smirk spread across my beautiful fiancé's face. The rest of our conversation continued in the same playful manner until me and Ben wished each other goodnight; it was going to feel weird not waking up to seeing him on Facetime, but I knew that it couldn't always be that way. The situation that me and Ben currently found ourselves in was going to have moments like this where we were going to have to change our normal pattern; and I think that this was ok. We needed change like this, so we didn't fall into the same pattern, which was going to possibly last up until our wedding day.
After I finished my Facetime with Ben I then went downstairs and sat back down on the couch as Evie was just making sure our food was doing ok. When she had established that everything was in fact ok, we sat back down and tried to decide on either a new film or series to start on Netflix.
We were only doing this for around ten minutes before we both heard the flat door open, and a very tired looking Doug stepped into the flat. Evie quickly gave me the TV remote and quickly stood up and ran towards him and eagerly hugged him. When they broke apart Evie told him that I was staying over for the night and that we had been waiting for him to come home so we could all have our evening meal together. It was at this point when Doug apologised for keeping us waiting before thanking me for keeping my sister company, as he didn't like the fact that he was having so many late nights as it meant his Princess was being left on her own. Evie quickly dismissed this; and I told him that I was happy to help.
We let Doug finish watching a film that he had started watching this morning as he ate his tea; and me and Evie just sat at the kitchen island and ate our teas. After me and Evie had finished, we went and watched the end of the film; and when it was done, we then all retired to bed. When I closed the bedroom door behind me, I couldn't help but note how tonight made me feel; it actually felt good to take this break from my royal life. Yes, I knew that this couldn't happen all the time, and I didn't expect it to. And when I married Ben, I knew that I would never get breaks like this; and I didn't want to. I would be Ben's wife, and this is all I want – to be Mrs Maleficent Bertha Dragon-Beast-Adam. This is the only title that I wanted; and I would make sure that I would get it – hell or high water!