When me, Belle and Evie climbed out of the royal limousine in the main square in Auradon City Centre I couldn't help but take the scene before us. The town centre was busy, and people were just getting on with their day, but this wasn't what caught me off guard. What caught me off guard was a large black seven-seater car pulled up behind the royal limousine. I pulled one brow up in confusion, but my confusion suddenly disappeared when I saw Jeffrey step out of the car – even though I didn't recommend some of his colleagues. I then started to wonder why they were there, but it them hit me! This obviously had to do with something with what had happened on mine and Belle's last shopping trip.
"More security Belle?" I teased.
"Yes" she nodded. "Ben's orders" she chuckled.
"I see" I noted. In all honesty I don't know why I didn't see this coming, especially given how impulsive and uncontrollable the Press were last time. And also due to the fact that this impulsiveness and no control in the situation had caused me to get hurt, Ben was going to make sure that this didn't ever happen again. "Well, if I'm being honest, I should have expected it, after what happened last time" I said as I saw members of the Press a short distance away as they started to take photos. I just hoped that this time they keep their distance, but I wasn't going to hold my breath on this.
"So where are we wanting to go first?" Belle questioned.
"Well, I have a few places I would like to go" I interjected.
"Me too" Evie added.
"Where do you want to go Evie?" Belle enquired.
"I would like to go and look at fabric" she winced as she threw both me and Belle a nervous glance. "Is that ok?" she quickly asked, and I gave her a warm smile. I knew that her nervousness was done to the fact that when she went shopping for fabric, she got lost in it and before she knew it, she had spent the whole day. I had been with her a few occasions, and I didn't mind going with her I just think she thinks that she is putting people out – which is silly if you ask me.
"Of course, it is Evie" I confirmed. "Where do you want to go Belle?" I smiled happily at her.
"Some clothes or bag shopping would be nice" she meekly smiled, and I pulled one brow up in concern when I started to sense that something was wrong with Belle.
"Is everything ok Belle?" I urged.
"Yeah" she nodded meekly. "I just haven't been feeling very well for the last couple of days that's all" she advised.
"Oh" I muttered. "You should have said Belle" I added. "Do you need to go home?" I questioned. If this was the case of course me and Evie would go back home without question, I just hoped that Belle wasn't about to push herself too far.
"No" she quickly dismissed. "I need some fresh air" she advised.
"Ok" I nodded. "But if you need to go home just tell us" I insisted.
"I will" she promised.
"Good" I smiled at her. "Because I am going to take a very close eye on you" I winked at her.
"We both are" Evie added.
"Thank you" Belle smiled once more at us both once more. I then linked arms with my future mother-in-law and sister, and we started to walk towards the main square. I started to feel excited at getting to spend time with Belle and Evie like this, yes Belle was feeling a little bit out of sorts but if I got wind of her worsening even a little bit, I would take her back home. Even if she would fight me on it, Belle was like a mother to me, and I hated to see her hurt or unwell in anyway. And I think both Adam and Ben would both agree with me.
We decided to go fabric shopping first, and all in all we were only there just over an hour. Evie bought large rolls of fabrics that were light green, dark green, yellow, light blue, dark blue, light purple and dark purple; she also bought some more other things that she needed like more tailor's dummy, sequins, zips, and other accessories for making dresses. After she had bought everything, she arranged for everything to be sent to Auradon Castle. And when we both walked out of the fabric shop Evie eagerly told us that she couldn't wait to start arranging her royal dresser room, which made me and Belle both giggle at Evie's eagerness and playfulness.
We then went to Auradon Music Shop in the centre of Auradon City Centre. When we walked in the shop there wasn't very many people in the store, however this quickly changed when members of the public and press ran into the store. The staff in the store thankfully quickly made a barrier so no one could get near us. And due to how quickly it got busy in the store I decided to be quick about my purchases so I ordered a keyboard and drum kit and when I asked about it the store manager asked whether I would like it in a dark purple. I asked whether this was possible, and he advised that he could put in an order for it if I wanted and I eagerly accepted his offer. And when I was putting in my order, I saw microphone and recording equipment and deciding to add those to my shopping list. I then began to think about how I was going to arrange another room in my suite, and I started to feel eager to start playing around with music. Yes, I would have to learn how to play the drums, and I had some minimal lessons on the piano, but this was something that I was looking forward to. I had enjoyed writing and producing Rotten to the Core and I was keen to see where else I could go with music.
When we left the music store, we then walked past a jewellery shop called 'Beautiful Fancies' and something caught my eye. In the window they were selling bracelets that had a large round charm on them that had a sun on it, and when you pressed the charm on one bracelet the charm on the other bracelet lights up. I decided to go and buy me and Ben a pair as I believed that this gift is something that me and Ben needed in our current situation. When I bought then I decided to buy Ben a dark blue strap and me a dark purple one, I smiled down at them when I saw them in their boxes. They reminded me of mine and Ben's had fastening bracelets, and I couldn't stop smiling of sharing that precious moment with Ben. I hoped that these bracelets would also help me and Ben through our current situation, a little ray of light in a current ongoing storm.
Me, Belle and Evie were now walking into the Rose Tea Room, and we were all looking forward to having some afternoon tea, especially as I wanted to make sure that Belle wasn't walking around too much due to her being unwell.
"Are you feeling any better?" I asked after the waitress walked off after taking our order.
"A little bit" she admitted. "I just feel so sickly and dizzy" she added as she pursed her lips together.
"Well, I don't think we should be much longer" I stated, and Evie nodded in agreement to this.
"Probably" she muttered as she put her right hand against her right temple. "Ow!" she exclaimed in pain.
"Belle?" I exclaimed in concern.
"It's ok" she quickly dismissed. "Just a headache came on suddenly" she explained.
"Do you need some paracetamol?" Evie enquired. "I should have some in my bag" she advised.
"Please" she meekly smiled. "If you don't mind" she added.
"Of course, I don't" Evie answered as she took some tablets out of her bag and she gave them to Belle. I then watched as she quickly took them with some water that our waitress had already poured for us.
"Thank you" Belle offered to Evie as she placed the glass back down on our table in front of her.
"You're welcome" Evie answered, and we started to fall into silence. "So- "she started, which caused both me and Belle to look over to her. "Is it too early to start wedding talk?" she questioned.
"Really Evie?" I teased.
"Yes Mal" she chuckled back. "Really" she winked at me. "When you think about it Mal, you don't really have that much time" she continued. "Before you know it your wedding will be here" she finished.
"Well, that is more than fine with me" I stated. "That means the sooner this proposition is off us" I advised, and they both chuckled at me.
"Eager to spend time alone with my son?" Belle teased.
"Lucifer yes!" I exclaimed. "And I'm not talking about being intimate" I muttered hoping that no one could overhear what we were talking about, thankfully we were in a booth away from everyone. "I just want to be on my own with my fiancé" I told them. "That shouldn't be a problem, should it?" I questioned.
"Of course, not Mal" Belle stated as she shook her head. "I felt the same when me and Adam were engaged" she clarified. "But it was a different time back then" she added.
"How was it?" I asked.
"Well, we were chaperoned until our wedding day- "she began to explain. "Or my father would be in the distance, just so nothing could damage our reputations" she added.
"I see" I noted. I understood that things were different in Adam and Belle's time, but times had changed. Yes, me and Ben still had to act a certain way, but I failed to see how this had to affect the time that we spent alone together. It wasn't as if we were purposely trying to get pregnant! Yes, children were on the cards for me and Ben but if I had my way it wouldn't be for a couple of years yet. I meant what I had said after me and Ben were married, I needed some time with him. So much of our relationship was public and I couldn't wait to finally have some solitude in our marriage, and time alone with my Beast.
"So, I guess this is why the council so willing signed the proposition- "I heard Evie say, which broke me out my train of thought. "As this is how it was for them" she added.
"Exactly" Belle nodded. "But Mal and Ben are a modern couple; and there is nothing wrong with that" she added. "I'm just sorry that me and Adam have to keep following you both around" she stated as she threw me an apologetic look.
"It's ok Belle" I dismissed. "Me and Ben both understand" I said as I pursed my lips together. "I won't lie and say that I really hope that Ben finds a way out of this, because I want nothing more" I continued. "I just hope that the 'Order" I continued as I did quotations in the air. "Realise that after me and Ben are married that should be the end of it" I added. "Or else" I warned.
"What do you mean by that?" Evie questioned in confusion.
"Well, I'm not going to stand around and let them push me and Ben around anymore-" I began. "I think what happened at Beauty Castle showed that" I reminded them.
"Oh yeah" Evie nodded. "I wish I saw that," she said playfully.
"It shocked us all," Belle interjected. "The pair of them got into a full argument," she told Evie. "I really didn't think she would slap you and spit at you" she said sadly.
"Me neither" I agreed. "But I wasn't going to let Leah get away with what she said to me" I said bluntly. "That is the second death threat I have received from her; and that is the last time she is going to do that" I continued. "I just hope the last thing I said to her holds with her" I finished as my mind started to relieve my argument with Queen Leah. I started to feel my stomach burn slightly but when I heard Evie speak it thankfully pulled me out of my mental anguish.
"What did you say to her?" I heard my sister say.
"Well-" I began. "To quote what I said-" I continued. "But when the day comes when you need my help, you want to hope that I can find enough mercy," I added. "Because your last chance with me was in that courtroom when I interjected for you, I may not do it next time" I finished, and I watched as Evie's eyes widened slightly.
"Wow!" she exclaimed. "You would think that she would take that as her warning" she implored.
"Well unfortunately Evie-" I sighed sadly. "Only time will tell" I offered hopefully. This was the truth only time would tell whether Leah would finally back off. I knew that it was probably going to be unlikely, she didn't think that I was good enough for Ben. Hopefully by the time she came out of house arrest me and Ben would already be married so she couldn't attempt to try to stop us, but with Leah I would never put anything past her.
"Very true" Evie agreed as Belle nodded at this. We then went on to share a lovely afternoon tea together and thankfully the conversation moved from my argument with Leah and onto mine and Ben's wedding. And both Belle and Evie both exclaimed in glee when I told them that me and Ben had made decisions on what we wanted. The conversations then went onto what me and Ben had decided, and yes the conversation was good for everyone involved but the conversation only made me wish that today was mine and Ben's wedding day. I meant it when I said that I couldn't wait to be Ben's wife, and in my opinion our wedding day felt like a lifetime away, unfortunately.
When we left the tearoom I checked on Belle once more, she said that her headache was getting a little bit worse, but she insisted that she wanted to shop a little longer. Me and Evie both pressed our concern, but Belle said that if she got any worse then we would go home. So, with this in mind the three of us decided that we would go to a few shops that Belle wanted to go to before we returned home.
So, we walked to Dominica's Boutique, and it didn't take long before the three of us were able to find four outfits each in our own trademark colours. My first outfit was a dark purple jumpsuit, second was a dark slim line evening dress, thirdly was another dark purple smart dress and finally some lazy and loose dark purple t-shirt and jogger pants. I also managed to buy two pairs of high heels, a pair of dark purple pumps and trainers.
Evie on the other hand bought three smart dark blue dresses and a similar jumpsuit to mine apart from it being in a bright blue. She also treated herself to four pairs of heels (two dark blue and two light blue).
Belle finally treated herself to two smart dresses one was gold, and one was bright yellow. She also treated herself to two smart outfits where one was a pair of dark blue trousers and a smart yellow jumper. Belle also bought another outfit which was a dark blue jumper with bright yellow trousers. And to match all four outfits she bought four pairs of shoes (two pairs of heels and two pairs of pumps) that were either dark blue or gold in colour.
"What on-" I started when I heard a loud bang just as we were being handed our bags after we had paid for everything. Me, Belle and Evie looked over to the door to see the Press swing the doors open and they charged forward, however before anyone could do anything they quickly circled me, Belle and Evie.
"Hello ladies" a tall man with dark brown hair stated as he pushed his tape recorder closer to us. "Enjoying your trip today?" he asked eagerly. I opened my mouth to say something, but I stopped when Belle's bodyguards, my bodyguard (Jeffrey) and my new security team quickly ran into the shop, pushed past the press and stood in between us and the press.
"I think that is enough for today!" Richard (Belle's bodyguard) called.
"Thank you" Jeffrey stated and they stepped forward and the press stepped back with their faces dropping.
"Aww!" they cooed.
"Come on!" a woman's voice sounded in the shop. "We only have a few questions!" she quickly added.
"Well-" Richard said as he and Jeffrey both turned around to look over to me, Belle and Evie. "Do you want to answer their questions?" he enquired which made me and Belle both look at each other before we both nodded. What harm could it be to answer a few of their questions, it would keep them at bay, for now.
"We will answer a few" Belle answered for the pair of us. "But they better not come too close," she warned.
"Very well," Richard nodded. "You will stand there," he instructed. "No closer" he insisted, and we all watched as the press nodded at this.
"Who is first?" I enquired and I watched as the press's face lit up with excitement as they started to put their hands up. "You" I advised as I pointed to a tall, slim brown-haired woman.
"Queen Belle?" she called.
"Yes" Belle answered politely.
"How does it feel now that your son is engaged?" the reporter asked her eagerly.
"It's a very happy time in our lives-" Belle started to explain. "We always knew that Mal was going to become a permanent fixture of our family" she added as she smiled warmly at me which made me smile back at her. "Mal and Ben make each other better; they both are each other's one true love" she continued as she looked back at the press. "And me and Adam already see her as our daughter" she reminded them warmly. "So, the fact that they are now engaged is something that we always knew that it was on the cards for my son and Mal" she finished happily.
"Next question?" Jeffery called. "You" he advised as he pointed to a short, blonde-haired man.
"Lady Mal" he advised.
"Yes?" I replied.
"Are you looking forward to becoming Queen?" he directed to me.
"Well-" I began. "I think the question should be, am I looking forward to becoming Ben's wife" I said happily. "As this is the title that I am striving for" I told them all. "I know that being Queen comes with being with Ben; but that isn't what it is about for me" I continued. "It's being with the man I love, that has and always will be what means the most to me" I finished happily as I started to think about Ben.
"We have time for one more question," Richard advised and the press all put their hands up once more and Richard pointed to a short bald man in the front of the crowd.
"Lady Evie!" he shouted out to her.
"Yes?" Evie replied.
"Lady Mal hasn't answered this question yet-" he started, and I started to think about the fact that he is probably going to ask about my wedding dress. "But you are designing her wedding dress, aren't you?" he implored, and I watched as the press all started to look eager at the fact, they may be finally getting an answer to the question that they have been trying to get for some time now.
"No comment," Evie answered.
"Oh" the male reporter muttered. "Come on" he implored as he looked over to me.
"Any announcements about mine and Ben's wedding will go through the proper channels" I instructed. "And you will find out soon enough" I reminded them, and all of their faces dropped at this. "I think that is all we have time for today" I finished hoping that they were going to take this as an end to this interview nicely. But saying that the amount of security that were here the press couldn't attempt anything, thankfully.
"Aww" the press said sadly. "Come on" they implored.
"No sorry" Jeffery called to the press. "That's your lot" he called to them, and they started to step forward to try and put some more distance between us and the press. We then started to be guided out of the shop and out of this situation, I felt a lot better with my conversation with the press than the last. However, before I could fixate on this I watched as Belle stumbled next to me as her hands flew to her head.
"Oh" she muttered.
"Belle!" I exclaimed as me and Evie stepped closer to her to shield her from the press. I then heard as Belle whimpered in pain before she collapsed however as she fell to the ground there was a thud as her head collided with a shelf on the way down. "BELLE!" I screamed as I watched as she lay unconscious at my feet. A heard footsteps around us which told me that Richard, Jeffery and their team surrounded us to shield us from the press and members of the public.
"Mal her head is bleeding!" Evie exclaimed.
"Erm" I muttered. "We need a cloth or bandage" I advised in concern. "Anything!" I implored and a white t-shirt appeared, and I quickly pulled it off the hanger and I knelt down and pressed it against Belle's head. I then started to fall into a panic at what had just happened, however my panic only intensified at the fact that Belle hadn't woken up yet. Maybe Belle was far worse than she was letting on!