Chapter 6 – Free Your Mind

WARNING – Mind Control – in the first scene, please see end notes for more details.

-:-:-

"Terrible," Chad's father said as the severity of the situation really set in, and he seemed to really mean it. "That the contraception shots would fail so horribly…"

"You should launch an investigation," Sultana Jasmine advised, her arms folded across her chest, expression getting grimmer with each child they added to their database. "There were supposed to be trials. For something to be this ineffective for so long-"

"You think it was intentional?" Chad's father interrupted, his brows furrowed in concern.

"I think someone might have been tempted to take the lazy way out," Sultana Jasmine countered smoothly. "And I think that's worth investigating."

It was easy to assure people that things were being handled – promising a solution without committing the follow through to see if it was actually viable so people would stop asking questions. It seemed that someone had wanted to create a solid enough lie so no one would raise a fuss about human rights' violations (or at least, a bigger fuss, as the Isle itself was already somewhat problematic), now they just had to find out who.

Chad wondered if this was something Ben had dealt with back in his original timeline/dimension/world. Maybe he had, it wasn't like Chad would have been important enough to warrant being told about it.

"Do you have an idea of who you want to invite over?" King Eugene asked as he flew the drone high over condemned looking buildings that served as a sort of playground for an abundance of too-thin orphans.

"I think if we can get some of the leaders settled, it will be easier to transition the rest of the kids into Auradon," Chad said. "They'll follow their example, so um… Maleficent's daughter-"

"Absolutely not," his father said, his jaw set. "She's half-Fae. There's a good chance she has her mother's magic. She might not have access to it now, but being free might tempt her to tapping into that part of herself."

"Well…" Chad began, because that was a very fair concern and he was sort of surprised King Adam hadn't had it when Ben had made his decree. "Why don't we take advantage of that? We could offer magic classes. Guide her through the use of magic. It might give her more positive feelings about Au-Sardinia until she can settle and realize that our intentions are sincere."

Ben gave him a weird look. "Would they not think that?"

"They've lived their entire lives on a prison island," Chad said, giving his hand a slight squeeze. "An island that, as far as they know, we willingly condemned them to. Sure, they might be willing to believe that this was the first we knew of their existence, but I don't think they've been conditioned for that kind of hope. This entire thing will likely seem too good to be true for them."

"I still think it's risky," his father said. "Why don't you stick to non-magically inclined children?"

"Because she deserves a chance," Chad said. "They all deserve a chance to decide if they're going to be good or evil. We have to extend trust if we want them to trust us in turn, but if you're really worried about it, can we… is there some sort of dark magic detection spell we could cast over the school? As long as they're not using magic with intent to hurt, it shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"That sounds like a fair compromise," Sultana Jasmine murmured. "Who else were you thinking of?"

"Jafar's son," Chad said, getting an unhappy look from both Ben and his father. "Queen Grimhilde's daughter and Cruella's son."

"Cruella?" King Adam echoed. "Why her?"

It was Ben that actually answered that question. "Didn't you see how scared he looked?" Ben pressed. "None of them look that well off, but he was terrified, and his wrists were covered in bruises."

Because Cruella really was the worst, and Chad hadn't realized that when Carlos had first come over because his grandfather hadn't wanted him to have anything to do with the VKs.

"I'll be honest," King Eugene spoke up. "I'm surprised you didn't pick your cousin."

"I would have," Chad replied honestly. "But she doesn't seem like a leader."

"So?" the king countered. "You can invite more than four kids."

Chad froze, blinking. He'd never considered that before. If Ben hadn't been able to get more than four kids over, how could he ever hope to achieve more?

But no one seemed shocked by the suggestion, and if anything, his father was nodding his approval.

"Eight," his father said. "Four girls, four boys – they can room with each other."

"That just leaves three more," Ben said, giving Chad's hand a gentle squeeze. He knew they were deviating, that this would make Chad worry because there were so many more variables now, but if Chad had a chance to get more of the VKs off the Isle, then he had to do his best to help them.

The other three were easy to pick. Mal even had a spiffy nickname for them. The 'Sea Three'.

"Ursula's daughter," Chad said, pointing to Uma's profile picture in their data collection. "Captain Hook's son, and um- Gaston's blond kid."

He hadn't realized that Gaston had two other sons – twins that seemed to be mini recreations of him, and Chad was sort of afraid how they'd act. Gil, however, he remembered as mostly harmless and kind of a sweetheart, and maybe Chad had wanted to be friends with him once upon a time, as stupid as it sounded for a prince to want to befriend an actual hero.

"Why him?" Ben said, frowning.

It… didn't make sense. "I don't know," Chad said. "He seemed nice." Comparatively. "Will that be a problem for you?"

Ben considered this, then shook his head. "No, I trust you."

"As do I," Chad's father said. "Sultana Jasmine, could you ask Genie for his advice on the dark magic detection system?"

"I'm on it," the Sultana said. "When would you like to transition the kids into school? I assume you want them to attend Auradon Prep?"

Chad had been relieved to find that it was still Auradon Prep and not Sardinia Prep or something – so at least that one thing would be familiar. Apparently Ben's mom had established the school before she'd died. King Adam suspected that Chad's grandfather would prefer for the young royals that would one day make up the Sardinia Council not to network and grow familiar with each other before they were to work with each other in a professional respect which was why he hadn't established a similar institution, but that was entirely theoretical on his part.

"What?" King Christopher said. "No, we'll send them somewhere else. Perhaps Sardinia Heights."

"Dad," Chad said, exasperated. "Give trust to get trust."

"There's a difference between giving trust and allowing the children of villains access to some of the most important young people in the entirety of Sardinia," Chad's father countered, undeterred. "It's too big a risk."

"They need to see-"

"It's too big a risk, Chadwick," his father said, busting out Chad's full name.

"It's my decree," Chad pressed, making the others tense. "We have up to fifteen years of wrongful imprisonment to make up for, they deserve the opportunity to go to the best school we have to offer. It's the least we can do."

For a moment, his father's face was shuttered into something painfully neutral before he tilted his head towards the door. "May I have a word with you in private?"

"Of course," Chad said, even though he would have preferred literally anything else. He reluctantly released his hold on Ben and tucked his hand into his pocket, fingering the teleportation seal he had waiting there. He wouldn't need to use it, but it was a comforting way to assuage his anxieties.

His father led him into the small holding chamber just outside the drone room, reeling Chad close with a hand on his shoulder. "You're being naïve," he whispered, keeping his voice low and controlled. "I admire your optimism, Kit, I truly do, but you are simply too vital to the continued function of Sardinia to risk on these villain children."

"We created this problem, dad," Chad countered, his heart speeding in his chest. "Us. We're the ones that failed them. They're Sardinian citizens too. We have to treat them like that instead of threats."

"They've had no positive influences in their lives," his father hissed back. "None. They have no knowledge of how to be good."

"Then we'll teach them," Chad pressed. "We'll show them how it's done and give them the choice."

"The fault in that logic is that they could still choose to be evil," his father snapped, the hand on Chad's shoulder tightening. "Only one attack needs to succeed for you to be stolen from us, Kit."

"Then give me a defensive enchantment," Chad said. "Genie could do it-"

"Or we could avoid needless risks," his father countered. "Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into you the last few days. Ever since you left for Auradon you've acted completely different. What happened to my compromising go-getter? What happened to the prince that used to listen to me? That valued my input?"

"I do value your input," Chad said, an uncomfortable feeling building in his throat. "I just don't necessarily agree with it. I know you're scared, you have a right to be scared, but everything's going to be okay. We'll confiscate any magic items or weapons they have, we'll put up defensive enchantments – we'll take protective measures but we won't shut them away like we're ashamed of them because we're not. We don't have any right to be. They had no more say in who their parents were than I did, so just…" Chad trailed off with a swallow. "Please, trust me."

His father stared at him for a few long moments, his expression unreadable, before he eventually sighed. "You're growing up so fast," he murmured, shifting the hand on Chad's shoulder to his cheek, giving it a fond squeeze. "Is it a crime to wish you'd stay my little boy forever?"

"No," Chad said. "Not so long as you appreciate the young man I've become."

"So wise," his dad laughed, dragging Chad into a comforting hug. "You must get it from your mother, it certainly didn't come from me."

"I dunno," Chad chuckled, bewildered by the strange turn of events, an actual conversation with his father ending with the hug he had only ever hoped to get way back when. "I think you're pretty smart."

"Flatterer," his father huffed when he pulled back. "Are you sure you can't stay around a few days? Your mother misses you."

Chad tensed. "I um- I miss her too-"

Further conversation ended by way of the hallway door opening, and in strolled the terrifying visage of Chad's grandfather.

He supposed to the average person the duke wouldn't be all that scary. He was just an old man – though elegantly dressed and of rigid bearing. But he was also the prime distributor of Chad's punishments growing up, the one who held the key to every closet and windowless room, the one who belittled and dismissed out of hand, and Chad would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid of him. The fact of the matter was that he was very afraid of his grandfather, he just also wanted to please the man. He just- if he made him happy, then maybe he'd finally be nice to Chad. It didn't seem like an unreasonable conclusion to draw.

"Enough playing around now, Chadwick," his grandfather began, the words seeming to set something off in the back of Chad's brain, causing something to click in a way he couldn't place. "It's time to go home to Sardinia Castle."

"Okay," Chad said, blinking as his lips seemed to move on their own. The response had been inherent, ingrained before he could even really think about it, and that was- normally he tried to do what his grandfather wanted, but this seemed different.

"Really?" his father perked up. "I thought you were returning to Auradon."

"He'll do no such thing," Chad's grandfather sniffed. "He will return home and work on his original decree and forget this invitation nonsense – won't you, Chadwick?"

"I- yes," Chad said, feeling panicked now, for all that his body didn't seem to register this. He felt entirely relaxed, entirely calm, but anytime he tried to argue, tried to articulate himself, he couldn't seem to manage it.

He didn't like it. He wanted to go back into the drone room, wanted to go back to Ben, but he couldn't make his feet move. He couldn't even turn, he just stood there, trapped within himself, entirely out of control.

What was happening?

"The new decree isn't a bad one, father," Chad's dad pressed. "I know you feel like catering to it would be to admit to some kind of weakness, but mistakes have been made. It's admirable for Chad to want to correct them."

"If anyone will correct them, it will be the people who committed them, Christopher. It's unfair of us to shove something like this onto Chad's shoulders, though you are correct, his gumption is to be commended." It was the nicest thing his grandfather had ever said about him, though his attention was entirely on Chad's father, Chad entirely ignored beside him. "Like you, I'm worried. Chadwick's behavior has been a bit erratic over the past week, has it not? Cutting ties with Audrey only to supposedly take on with Prince Benjamin." The duke turned to face him. "Do you know how distraught your foolishness has made Princess Rose? It will take a great deal of effort on your part to make things up to her. You should be focusing on that instead of leading on poor Benjamin. You should go in there and apologize to him, explain that you're committed to Audrey, that you made a mistake."

"Yes, grandfather," Chad found himself saying before he pushed back into the drone room, body moving towards Ben with a single-minded focus Chad couldn't have stopped if he wanted to.

He wanted to scream, wanted to shout, but there was nothing he could do except awkwardly hover near Ben, deftly maneuvering his hand out of the way whenever Ben reached for him.

"I made a mistake, Ben," Chad heard himself say, his throat beginning to feel tight, eyes hot despite the screaming voices urging him to be calm, to be relaxed, to be perfect. Crying wasn't perfect. Whining wasn't perfect. Anger and neediness weren't perfect. Chad was supposed to be the best. "I'm sorry for leading you on-"

"Chad?" Ben said, his brows furrowed together in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"-that was wrong of me," Chad continued as though he hadn't heard him. "That wasn't fair to you or Audrey. I was being foolish-"

"Chad," Ben said, his expression crumbling. "What are you talking about?"

"I was foolish," Chad repeated, trying to fight his lips and only succeeding in floundering awkwardly, the voices rising to a cacophonous blast at the back of his mind that cumulated in a high-pitched screech he couldn't flinch against. "I have to- I have to b-break up with you-" Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes, though otherwise he could give nothing away, Chad trying so hard to fight himself and feeling horribly confused as to how this had come to be. "I have to break up with- I have- I have to-"

"Chad," Ben murmured, gripping onto Chad's shoulders, and Chad was so busy flinching against the rising din in his brain that he didn't pull away from the other prince. "Chad, what happened? What did your dad tell you?"

"My g-grandpa said I had to- I need to break up with you, Ben," Chad said, feeling his body begin to quiver in Ben's hold. His brain felt like it was tearing itself apart, and it was so tempting to stop fighting, to just give in and let the blissful quiet return, but he couldn't- he didn't want to hurt Ben like that, he couldn't let the VKs down, he had to- "The duke said-"

He couldn't sob, but Chad knew he was breathing harder, was floundering for all that he stood with perfect posture.

Distantly, he heard the door open behind him over the blaring chaos in his brain. "Kit?" his father said, pushing back into the room. "What's wrong?"

"M-My head," Chad wheezed, managing to squeeze his eyes shut, though it didn't help him from the angry voices' demands. "It h-hurts."

"What's the meaning of this?" Chad's grandfather asked, seeming to follow his dad into the room. "Enough playing around now, Chadwick – calm yourself."

Just as he had the first time the Duke said those words, Chad felt his entire body go lax, his mind going numb and pliant for a horrific moment while tears dripped down his chin.

"Sorry, grandfather," Chad murmured, feeling dazed. "I forgot myself."

"Chad," Ben said, shifting his grip to cradle Chad's hands between his own. "What were you saying about your head hurting?"

"My head doesn't hurt," Chad said blankly. "Thank you for your concern, Prince Benjamin, and I'm sorry for the confusion. That wasn't fair of me-"

"I've had enough of this," King Adam growled, and then the king reached into his pocket, pulling out what seemed to be a vial of water that he deftly uncorked and then tossed into Chad's face.

The effects were instantaneous. Immediately, Chad collapsed, feeling like a puppet whose strings had just been cut before he clung desperately to Ben, harsh sobs pulling from his throat.

"What did you do?" the Duke was snarling while Ben rushed to curl around Chad, dragging the blond against his chest so Chad could hide there. "This is assault!"

"I couldn't- I couldn't c-control myself," Chad gasped, voice croaked and small. "I couldn't- they kept shouting for me to comply and it hurt."

"He's talking nonsense now," the Duke huffed. "You've made him delirious-"

"Enchanted Lake water," King Adam interrupted. "Spawned from the Enchantress herself. It nullifies all magical effects." The room seemed to go deadly silent. "It was a gift – in case I should ever revert to my cursed form. I paid my dues, so she gave me and my kingdom another way out, should we ever need it." He tucked the vial slowly back into his suit pocket. "So my question then is what kind of enchantment did you have Chadwick under that would need to be broken?"

"The audacity," Chad's grandfather snapped. "Don't think your widower status will forgive such bold accusations, Adam. The councilwill be called for this-"

"As will Merlin," Ben's father pressed. "As will the Blue Fairy. As will the entire Magic Council you hate so much, because if you think they can't prove you've been controlling your grandson's mind, you have severely underestimated your opponents."

"Is that true?" Chad's father asked, his eyes wide. "Dad, did you do that to my son?"

"Don't listen to him, Christopher," the duke pressed. "Adam's just trying to undercut your authority, same as he always had since we passed his line up as leaders for the united kingdoms."

"Dad," Chad croaked, turning imploringly to his father. "Please, it was like I wasn't myself. He said those words and it all- everything, it just went away. I wasn't me anymore."

"Kit," his father said, moisture building in his eyes. "Sweetheart-"

"Call for his arrest, Christopher," Sultana Jasmine said, her gaze hard. "Or we'll put in a formal request ourselves and actually undercut your authority."

There was no missing the defeated look in his father's eye upon the completion of that statement, and yet the man did not falter, simply activating the emergency button on his watch Chad knew without really knowing summoned the nearest set of guards.

"Please escort Duke Francis to the holding cells," Chad's father said when they arrived, his expression grim. "And put in a call to the Inspectors' Office, we need to launch a formal investigation."

"They bewitched him, Christopher!" the duke snarled as the guards guided him away. "That water enchanted him, mark my words! You need to do something before the integrity of Sardinia crumbles entirely!"

Thankfully, the door to the outer room slammed shut and cut off any more of his diatribe, leaving the rest of them in various stages of disbelief, weighted down under a thick layer of silence.

Eventually, Chad's father cleared his throat. "I suspect there's no denying it anymore, is there?"

"You have my condolences, Christopher," Sultana Jasmine said, seeming genuinely sympathetic. "It is always difficult to fight those we love, those who were supposed to love us in turn."

"He hurt my son," Chad's father said faintly, crouching down next to Chad to cup his face. "When you left Sardinia – disabling the tracking beacon, turning off your phone, losing your guards- did you know something was wrong?"

"I… suspected it," Chad lied, because that seemed better. "I think- maybe my control was building as much as it could, and I think the vision pushed me through. It gave me enough to get to Auradon, but I- I didn't realize…"

"That you had verbal triggers?" King Eugene said. "It looked like deep-rooted internal conditioning too."

"Do you know how long you've been like this?" his father asked, gaze stricken.

Chad swallowed roughly. "I don't know," he whispered. "I'm sorry, I don't know."

This Chad… he hadn't really been living at all, had he? His grandfather had been controlling him the entire time. He likely didn't hate this Chad because he essentially delivered him a new chance to rule all of Auradon – a perfect, willing puppet.

"You have nothing to apologize for, my sweet," Chad's father said, a stray tear dripping from the corner of his eye before he shifted his gaze to King Adam. "You have my sincerest thanks, Adam. And if you would continue to host Kit – please, I need to look through the entire Sardinia employee base for those loyal to my father. I can't risk my son again."

"I'd be happy too, Christopher," Ben's father said, and while he'd been furious with Chad's grandfather, for Chad's father he had an open kind of sympathy, a quiet kindness that Chad was grateful for. He'd seen his father carry great trauma before, he knew this wouldn't sit well with him.

He had a loving partner now, though, as well as a union of kingdoms to look after. Hopefully, those would hold him together.

"That's enough excitement for one day, I think," Sultana Jasmine said, reaching over to squeeze King Adam's arm. "Perhaps you should take the boys back to Auradon. We'll stay and finish rounding up our data collection and help King Christopher start the new investigation."

"Your help is greatly appreciated, Sultana Jasmine," Chad's father said. "King Eugene."

"Think nothing of it," King Eugene said. "We've all had villains hit a little too close to home before. We get it."

At that, Chad's father shuddered, pausing to give Chad a tight hug once Ben helped him to his feet again.

"I'm so sorry, Kit," his father murmured, running a hand through his curls. "I will see this right, I promise."

"Dad," Chad croaked, because he'd been hurt before but it had never really mattered, it had never registered with his father, but now he cared. Now Chad actually had something. "I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart," his father murmured. "I love you very much."

They were both crying by the time King Adam led him and Ben out of the drone room. They went ahead and used their teleportation seals to get back to their car, wanting to avoid drawing attention to their weeping selves, and set off towards Auradon, Chad safely curled in the shelter of Ben's arms.

"I'm sorry," Chad whispered, settled firmly in Ben's lap. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that stuff."

"It wasn't you fault," Ben murmured, squeezing him close. "We could all see you try to fight it."

At least the effort was acknowledged. It hadn't been an easy thing, and he was glad that registered. He didn't usually receive much credit just for an attempt.

"Thanks for helping me," Chad whispered, and Ben simply cuddled him, running his hand through Chad's hair and wiping away his tears and squeezing his hip.

"Always," Ben promised, and Chad knew without question that he was telling the truth.

-:-:-

Despite it being early in the day, Ben immediately herded Chad back into bed when they returned to Auradon Castle and Chad, who was too emotionally drained to consider fighting him, happily followed the other prince's prompting, letting Ben change him into comfier clothes before they collapsed together for an impromptu nap. Mrs. Potts had lunch delivered up to them on trays, which Chad insisted he didn't need, but Ben was relentless, ensuring Chad had everything he needed so they could eat from the safety of his bed.

"I'd keep you here forever if I could," Ben said, seeming to mean it. "Or at least a week. To know you were safe for a week…"

"What happened wasn't your fault," Chad reminded him, squeezing the other prince's hand. "Even I didn't know about the triggers."

"No," Ben agreed, gaze fixed to the distance, seeming lost in thought. "But I think Audrey did."

Chad couldn't help but shudder. He hadn't been listening to Audrey's voicemails either, choosing to read the transcripts. It was stupid that he hadn't realized they just about always started the same, using the trigger words his grandfather had invented to make Chad comply before she listed off a set of orders. Chad was used to Audrey being a force of will, so it hadn't seemed that out of line to him, but in hindsight, the phrase was used too frequently for it to be a simple coincidence.

They shared this information after lunch when they had to rejoin the real world. A representative from the Inspector's office – Detective Basil – arrived to take Chad's statement, retrieving copies of all the aforementioned text messages and voice mails to add it to the evidence stacked against the duke. It also led prompted an investigation into Audrey's connection to Chad's grandfather, though that was something Chad tried very hard not to think about.

He didn't always succeed, because not only did he change the entire world just to find out Audrey loved his station more than him, she also only loved the fact that he was a puppet, assuming she had a true understanding of his conditioning after all.

"You okay?" Ben asked after a long afternoon of interrogations and magic scans courtesy of Genie and someone who insisted he call her Aunt Tilly, who was actually sort of delightful in every way.

"Not really," Chad admitted. "This just keeps getting worse."

"But you're making it better," Ben reminded him. "You can't forget that. You're the one getting the kids off the Isle, you're the one that saved yourself and me-"

"But I wouldn't have needed to do either of those things if I'd just left well enough alone in the first place," Chad insisted. "And I'm just copying you. I shouldn't get credit for that."

"Well," Ben began, frowning unhappily. "You could have not done that. You could have just lived with the new status quo. It would have been easier."

"I couldn't have done that," Chad said, aghast by the mere suggestion. "How could I even- I know I suck, but I couldn't have done that to you or Auradon. You deserve better."

"You don't suck," Ben growled, brows furrowing into a look of frustration at the mere thought of it. "That was my point. A lazy person – a bad person – wouldn't have done this. They wouldn't have put forth the effort, but you did, because you're not a power grabber. You just want the world to be a better place. You just wanted your love to be reciprocated."

"It's so stupid," Chad hissed, feeling his eyes heat again with more useless tears, as though that had ever helped him. "I thought I loved Audrey so much. I thought I could never hope for anyone better than her, but really, the only reason I ever thought that was because you used to date her. It was just like- if Ben thought she was great, obviously I would be lucky to have her, and even if she didn't always treat me nice or talk to me and she didn't really like me touching her, I just- I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with how lucky I was, because Ben's princess wanted me around." He trailed off with a frustrated gasp. "But she just used me back then too. She'd let me clean her room or buy her things or hold her bags, but she didn't actually like me."

"I'm sorry," Ben said as he started to cry again, the brunette scooping Chad into his arms and letting him cuddle in his lap. "I'm sorry that alternate me led you astray. I don't know why he would have ever dated Audrey – maybe he was enchanted too."

"I hope not," Chad croaked, burying his face in Ben's chest. "That would be so awful."

For Ben to be enchanted by her and then enchanted by Mal and then even Uma (Chad had gotten those deets from Lonnie after a lot of begging since there was a media blackout surrounding Cotillion) – and Ben deserved it the least of all.

"The point is, it didn't happen," Ben said. "And it's not going to. We have each other, right?"

"Right," Chad sniffed, even though eventually he was going to have to start working on a new book so he could change all of reality back to how it should be. He was just fixing things for the moment, he needed to remember that. Ben needed to be king of Auradon. Queen Belle needed to be alive. "Still-"

"No 'still'," Ben interrupted, tone firm. "No amendments. We don't need them. We can't hold onto this stuff that hurts us, Chad. We have to let go and move on, which- granted, is super rich coming from the guy who let his depression wreck him for half his life, but that just means I know firsthand how important it is to move on."

"Okay," Chad said, because Ben had a point.

Of course he did, he was Ben.

"Now," Ben said, nuzzling Chad's hair. "Want to share a bath before we have to go back into the grind?"

"Ben," Chad said, because they'd done a lot of stuff together, and they cleaned each other off somewhat regularly, but they'd never been naked together, let alone naked cuddled.

"No funny business," Ben pledged. "This is just for our comfort."

"Won't it be weird?" Chad asked, feeling flushed.

"Nope." Ben seemed confident when he said this. "This is perfectly natural, but we don't have to do it if you don't want to. I could just run you a bath. You deserve to relax."

"I mean." Chad felt his cheeks heat up terribly. "I like being with you."

"And I like being with you," Ben informed him with a smile that seemed determined to wreck Chad, and that was the end of that argument.

It should be weird, doing something as strangely domestic as running a bath with Ben. They even lit a few scented candles and threw in some bubble bath just for fun. And Chad may have stripped down in front of Ben hundreds of times over the course of their Tourney career, but this was the first time they'd stripped completely bare in front of each other. This was the first time Chad had ever been naked with anyone, and Ben kept looking him over with an appreciative grin, a light flush spilling across the bridge of his nose as he herded Chad into the water.

Chad's heart seemed determined to pound out of his chest as he settled in the V of Ben's legs, conscious of the naked prince against his back, of Ben against his back, who thought nothing of wrapping an arm around Chad's waist and holding him close.

"Sorry," Chad murmured when he realized he was still tense. "I've never done this with anyone before."

"Hey, be neither," Ben chirped, but that was only because he hadn't met Mal yet. Chad bet they shared baths all the time. They were going to get married, after all. "Just relax," Ben urged, petting a hand against the sensitive skin of Chad's inner thigh.

"Ben," Chad said, because the other prince knew what that did to Chad.

"If you need help, just let me know," Ben soothed, and they both knew what his offer of 'help' meant, that if Chad somehow managed to get aroused…

And he was, Chad realized, because he really was an easy shot. Stupid to get so worked up over something so simple, but Chad couldn't help but be wowed by the casual intimacy of it all.

"You okay?" Ben asked a few minutes later, his lips buried in the curve of Chad's neck. He seemed to revel in soaking up Chad's scent so he did it frequently, not that Chad minded. If it helped ground Ben, he was more than happy to give it.

"Fine," Chad said, terribly conscious of the erection straining against his stomach. "I um- I might have…"

"Yeah?" Ben hummed, stroking his thigh.

"Sorry," Chad said, feeling embarrassed. "Could you-?"

He cut off when Ben shifted an easy hand between his legs, curling around warm flesh and giving him a tentative stroke.

"Ben," Chad moaned, turning to bury his face against Ben's shoulder.

"Happy to help," Ben informed him, beginning to stroke him in strong, definite movements. "Always."

It didn't take much for Chad to fall apart, and Ben guided him through the entire process, kissing up the side of Chad's neck as he shivered in his arms. They got out shortly after that, Ben transferring them to the shower where Chad could see how the exchange had gotten the brunette worked up as well. He boxed Ben against the wall hesitantly, but still managed to wrap his hand around the other prince's large interest, jerking it up and down in careful motions while Ben growled against the wall.

"Chad," he moaned, rutting into the blond's hand with open eagerness. "Chad. Chad."

"I've got you," Chad said, and it felt nice to finally be able to return the favor.

When it was done, Chad would have happily resigned himself to another nap but they still had work to do, as dictated by their positions as joint prince of everything. The first step was to check in with Ben's dad to see how the investigation was progressing. They found him, Sultana Jasmine, and King Eugene in the king's office, all three seeming relieved by Chad's seemingly composed countenance.

"Is everything okay out there?" Chad asked, because that was the greatest priority. "How is the public reacting?"

"Your mother tried to break the news as gently as possible," Sultana Jasmine replied. "But still, people are greatly concerned to realize that the soon-to-be king has spent who knows how much of his life brainwashed."

"There's concern for how fit you are to lead," King Eugene said. "Mostly from kingdoms bitter to have been passed over for the United Sardinia crown. They're being ignored for the most part."

"Though they may have a point," Sultana Jasmine said, making Chad's breath catch in his chest, the world seeming to suddenly freeze around him. "Your dedication to the people of Sardinia is obvious, Chadwick," she continued, seeming to sense his panic. "But you've undergone something catastrophically traumatic. Being allowed time to process that would not be unjust."

"Plus, the whole crowning-a-teenager-to-bring-in-a-new-age thing has always been sort of bubkis to most of us," King Eugene picked up. "Even if you are, unquestionably, an outstanding teenager."

"What does that mean?" Chad asked, hand trembling in Ben's.

King Adam cleared his throat. "We're going to make a suggestion to the council to have your coronation pushed back a few years."

"At least," Sultana Jasmine said. "Most of us wanted you to graduate college before taking on such a responsibility, to be allowed the chance at a proper childhood, but we were overruled by your grandfather's faction. Now we have a chance to correct that, and you have a chance to heal."

"But," Chad began, trying not to sound lost. "My decree."

"It will still happen," King Eugene soothed. "It's a well thought out decree, kiddo. We'll still get the kids off the Isle, we'll still invite over your eight representatives, but you shouldn't have to worry about taking over things just yet. Your dad needs to clean up the mess he made."

"And you need therapy," Sultana Jasmine said.

"I'm working on arranging something right now," King Adam said, looking tired. "We can facilitate private visits here at the castle and work out something new when you go back to school."

"What?" Chad asked, confused at how quickly things had gone off the rails. He wasn't getting coronated but the kids were still coming over. That was good, and it would stay good assuming his dad listened to his suggestions as to how to proceed with the Isle, but what was this stuff about therapy?

"Chadwick," Sultana Jasmine began, her tone firm but gentle. "What your grandfather did to you was horrific. You deserve time and space to process these actions, and a neutral third party that will help you through it. You need therapy."

"But…" Chad had never gone to therapy before. His grandfather said it was for crazy people, even when Captain Anozie tried to press that his father needed it. "I mean, I'm fine now. King Adam broke the enchantment."

"Yes, you are no longer conditioned," Sultana Jasmine agreed. "But you were still violated, and you deserve the chance to process that."

Chad shrugged. "My grandfather's always been kind of mean to me. I'm not sure what you want me to process."

"The thing is," King Eugene spoke up. "He shouldn't have been. Mean to you, I mean."

"Just because you are used to receiving abuse doesn't make it justified," Sultana Jasmine said. "Nor does it make it less of a big deal."

They seemed really set on this, and even though Chad didn't get it, maybe he could learn some therapy stuff to take back to his father when he fixed the world again.

"Therapists are helpful," Ben offered him, giving his hand a slight squeeze. "I got one after my mom died. She… helped."

Not a lot, because Ben had been floundering in depression when Chad had met him, but if the brunette wanted Chad to go to therapy, he guessed it wasn't a big deal.

"Okay," Chad said, seeming to make everyone else slump with relief. "So um- the decree's still good to go?"

"Yes, Chad," King Adam said, wearing a fond smile. "You're still cleared to work on it."

"Thank you," Chad said. "All of you for helping me with this. I greatly appreciate it."

"It's both our pleasure and duty," King Eugene offered him with a wink. "So no worries."

-:-:-

Endnotes:

At last, the healing arc can begin!

Story notes:

Detective Basil is from 'The Great Mouse Detective', and is a human for this story :). Aunt Tilly is from the animated show 'Sophia the First' and is essentially a chipper version of Mary Poppins.

You know me, if I get a chance to push back the unnecessary coronation of a teenager in a story, I'm gonna take it. Let people have their childhoods and let adults clean up their own messes. That's just logic.

WARNING – Mind Control – there is a portion of the first scene where Chad experiences temporary mind control at the hands of – you guessed it, his grandfather. It's something he's aware of but can't fight, though it does eventually get broken in the same scene.

Until next time