ENJOY AND REVIEW!
Ben's POV
I wasn't able to get to tell Mom and Dad because of their busy schedules and the fact that I was honestly scared about their reaction to my proposal.
See, it all started with dinner...
Flashback...
It was dinner time in Beast Castle in the minor dining room. The kitchen staff had outdone themselves, as usual, probably to match the joyous mood their king was in. Hors d'ouveres, roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans, bread, mushroom soup, beef ragu, and chocolate cake (my favorite!).
Even I had to admit, the chefs outdid themselves and did a marvelous job matching tonight's menu with his dad's appetite!
"I'm telling you, Belle! Jewelry!" my dad, King Adam, boasted eagerly as he tried not to hunch over his dinner. "The dwarves are going into the jewelry business! For weeks, I had those little fellows breathing down my neck, and this young man managed to get them to seize their claims of mismanagement and got them into the jewelry business!"
I scratched my head a bit. "It's more like metalwork jewelry. I'm not completely familiar with it, but it's a dwarven craft that isn't seen much on the market. The Bergmann brothers have been mining for so long, even they forgot it, so it was their wives and daughters who rediscovered it."
"Exactly!" Dad exclaimed before taking and swallowing a bit of roast, "I dare say it, you saved me the headache! Now they're colluding with jewelers and metalsmiths as we speak!"
Dad pointed at me proudly with his fork. "That's my boy!"
"What I think your father is trying to say is," my mom, Queen Belle, interjected with a warm smile, "is that you did a very good job fixing your mistakes with the council and resolving your conflict with Grumpy."
I smiled earnestly at her. "Well, I do admit I had a bit of help."
Mom raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh really?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I had a pretty enlightened conversation with Audrey when I went to visit her. The dwarves had reasons to be angry with how they were being treated. You know, since they were mining and selling gems in secret for years in the Evil Queen's territory. They were trying to avoid being enslaved by a queen and felt that they were being treated as so by other royals."
Mom scoffed at the explanation. "I find it hard to believe Audrey knew that. How did you know she wasn't speculating?"
I gave her an innocent look. "Because Queen Mother Leah never exactly stops schooling Audrey during breaks and in fact, she gave me the book title and reference to her source. So, I come back and have Lumiere go search for the book while I go to our family library because you can never be too sure. And surprisingly enough "Dwarven Goblin Histories and Lores" was nowhere in the collections. And luckily enough, Lumiere comes back a few hours later with the book in hand, a bit peeved that I asked him to do this and not Cogsworth, but I trusted him and he delivered. And then, I found out the facts are legit but the book, however, was a limited edition series and...Now that I think about it, Lumiere didn't say how he got it. But the fact of all was is that the book existed and we didn't own a copy but the Aurorian Royal Family did."
I bit my cheek to keep from laughing at the red face my mother tried to compose. I love her, I truly do, but this isn't the first time she's commented on my girlfriend and I felt compelled to...relate my findings to her.
"But no harm done," I started with a poised smile. "It just means the library needs to be updated a bit. And we have the book now, so now both families can't make a mistake with the dwarves again."
I kept up a gracious smile as I bit into my roast beef and could have sworn I heard muffled laughter from my dad, who was trying not to grin at me sassing mom.
He is having a good day.
"Well, with that insight in mind," he said mirthfully, "is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"
"Yes, actually," I started nervously. "You see, I wanted to talk about...you know?"
Dad lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "I know what?"
"You know, about the...thing," I tried again.
"I believe you've lost me," Dad said confusingly.
I took a breath and tried one last time, with a bit more confidence. "You know, the thing...about me taking over for you?"
At this, his eyes widened with realization and a broad, bright smile grew on his face as he finally got the hint.
"Oh!" he realized, slamming his chalice of wine on the table, "that thing! Well, since you are going to take after me soon, it's time to start preparations for-
"Actually," I piqued up, "I was thinking that maybe..."
Dad's eyes narrowed. "Maybe what?"
I felt the intense urge to avert my gaze and change my mind altogether. Maybe being King wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Would being King at 16 be a problem?
"Being King at 16 will burn you out."
And there goes Audrey, coming to my rescue once again to voice council I don't believe anyone else would give me. And honestly, I'm reminded that I owe it to her and myself to reflect on what those words mean to me.
I looked up at Dad, trying to muster up some confidence in myself, and blurted out, "I don't think I'm ready to be King yet!"
And like that, the joyous atmosphere fell silent. The room is suspended in stillness, enough that the sound of dad's fork hitting his glass plate resonates throughout the small dining hall.
The smile slowly yet tensely morphed into a displeased frown and I fought the temptation to run out of the hall.
"Ben, what's the meaning of this?" he asked.
I begin t feel sweat form in the middle of my alms and the very desirable itch to change my mind or the subject entirely, but I wasn't a coward! I've come this far already, the least I can do is brace for impact.
"I think maybe I should wait a few more years before deciding to become king
Boisterous laughter roared through the dining hall, scaring me and making mom jump in her seat while the table rattled along with the resonance of Dad's hysterics.
"Bwahahahaha!" he convulsed as if he just heard the pun of the century.
"You-" he snickered, "you want...you want to...haha...to wait a few more years...haha...to be king!?"
Dad just couldn't contain himself and almost fell out of the chair laughing. Mom didn't like the sight of this and tried to put an end to this.
"Adam, enough!"
"NO!" he shouted, but one glare from Mom made him backtrack. "No, that is out of the question!"
"Let me tell you something, my son. When I was in your footsteps-" he started.
Oh no, here we go again.
"-I was 11 when I was cursed and it took me 20 years to find your mother and the curse to be lifted. By then, I was truly alone. My parents were gone and the staff and servants were all I had. By the time I was freed, I was a noble with very few connections and needed to establish myself. Now look at me, nearly 30 years later, with hard work and dedication, I became a king," Dad ranted, "and you, Ben have a better start than I ever did! 16 with an upcoming coronation! I couldn't have even begun to dream of such a thing and to pass on my legacy to you and you want to delay it!"
"It's not like I'm saying I don't wanna be King. I do, just a bit later!" he argued.
"SILENCE!"
Dad shot upright from his seat and slammed his hands on the table! Cups and platters of food fell off the table and I hadn't realized I jumped back in my seat a few paces back in fear.
He watched as his dad's shoulders heaved, trembling to control the raging anger inside him with the growling snarl, and for that alone, it was terrifyingly worthy of his father to live up to the moniker of Beast.
With barely contained rage, Dad shot dark eyes at me and announced "There will be no more discussion of this. You will be king and that's final."
Flashback ends...
After that, I made it a bit of a personal mission to stay out of my father's sight. If he turned a corner, I walked the other way. I hear him coming, I hide in the next room. Mom had looked at me with a pitied look before following after Dad that night and I made it a point to steer clear of her too, for now.
I opted to call Audrey and tell her I tried to take her advice but I didn't. It wasn't her fault that she told me how she felt and it backfired on me badly. Compared to my dad, King Philip is always up to fresh perspectives and always understanding. If Audrey told him she wasn't ready to be Queen, he'd talked to her about it and understand her reasons (and maybe do a step-by-step plan to reiterate this to Queen Mother Leah in the process.)
Speaking of which, I wasn't bluffing about the book I now acquired for the library. Before leaving, Audrey not only gave me the book title and publisher but also sent a picture of the said book as a reference. Thinking it was something Mom would have in her library, so imagine my shock when it wasn't. So, I sent Lumiere out to get it. At the time, I didn't think about why I picked him and not anyone else, but looking back, it was painfully obvious:
He may serve my father, but he also went behind his back to host Mom and push the two together during his Beast days.
However, that didn't stop the more shocking events I heard when I returned.
Flashback...
"I brought it at a small bookstore that was holding an auction, Your Highness," Lumiere said in the library on the night of his return, the book wrapped and bound, but in my hands, clean and almost untouched. "And I know you gave me money, but I had to dip into my funds to buy it."
I noted how peeved he looked, though whether it was because he used his money or the fact he got the assignment in the first place was to be decided.
"Why?" I asked. "How much did it cost?"
Lumiere leaned in to whisper in my ear and I fell out of my seat at the outrageous price!
"Are you serious!?" I asked astonished. The price was way more than the amount I gave him and now I understand why he looked so peeved.
"I tell no false tales, Your Highness," he swore, "and thank goodness your father pays me generously with my salary."
"Why did it cost so much?" I questioned. The first editions or maybe the second ones - if that's what he brought - didn't surprise him in terms of cost. But for that much, it might as well be an entire set!
"According to the owner, it was written shortly after Auradon was founded, maybe the first year or two," he explained. "It was the author I was more interested in. The bookstore owner had a lot of buyers in his shop and described that the author was a scholar of some sort. He was writing a book series based on magical creatures and their ties to heroes, villains, and each other. However, the first book - Dwarves and Goblins - was the first and last book the author wrote before he disappeared."
I tilted my head in confusion. "Disappeared?"
"I happened to read a bit of it. A man writes a book that details the bond both creatures hold between two sides of a story - and beautifully, if left to one's imagination - and suddenly, that book is published and he disappears? Leaving said book to become spares and spread but well known enough to fetch a might high price?" Lumiere asks rhetorically. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say it's more suspicious than the disappearance of the Huntsman."
"The Huntsman? The one who helped Snow White?" Who doesn't know that story? Everyone was aware of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, but it was more or lesser known that the princess went looking for the Huntsman after she secured safety with her beloved in his home. But even with the death of the Evil Queen, he was nowhere to be found. Fearing the worst, she went out of her way to form Hunters' Day, a holiday weekend that celebrated the Huntsman ad his good deed!
"Yes, and that mystery is one I can't help but add that next to this one," Lumiere stated.
"So, Audrey's family had it," I said, "and that implies the book was intended to be known. Or it was just luck they had it first."
"Remember that Queen Aurora was also a missing princess at one point...even you wanted to blur the lines of 'missing' and 'sent away'. She came back and had to learn how to be a royal. While not as avid as your mother, she likely spent just as much time reading and absorbing the world around her along with her duties. It's very possible that the book was purchased when it came out and she likely found it fascinating to learn from," Lumiere suggested, "or perhaps it was just luck."
Flashback ends...
"Luck, huh?" I muttered as I found myself back in the library days later, this time looking for books based on customs and royal traditions.
This time, I was on a mission: Find anything I can that would allow me to get Dad to push off the coronation. If I could do this, I could stave off time before having the crown on my head and still get to have a life. But at the same time, I needed to prove I wouldn't neglect my princely duties. Not now.
Not when I already had an idea in my head that would already push my father off the edge.
So far, I was dwelling on a book regarding coming-of-age ceremonies. To my surprise, I was finding out a lot about the older generation and customs including those of those my age, older, and younger. Like a Quinceanera, a Latin religious yet social celebration that declares a young girl a woman on her fifteenth birthday, Bar & Bat Mitzvahs for Jewish children, Ji Li & Guan Li are ceremonies for Chinese youth (age 15 for girls and 18-20 for boys, making me wonder if Lonnie and Lil' Shang went through these in the Northern Wei). I kept finding more and more yet nothing stuck with royal families!
He began to wonder if there was no point in sight when his phone started.
"Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, Cherie
And we'll provide the rest..."
"Hello?"
"Prince Ben! Hey, how are you doing this fine afternoon?" a cheerfully charming voice calls out from the other side. I couldn't fight back a smile.
"Prince Chad, it's nice to hear from you during this lovely day," I grinned, "I'd bow, but you can't see me."
Both of us snicker at our mock attempt at royal courtesies. Right next to Audrey, Chadwick Charming - Chad, as he prefers - is my second best friend in our royal circle. As a trio, we're considered the "Royal Trio", for we're the heirs to three important kingdoms and were brought up together as close friends by our parents. But no friendship didn't come without their issues.
For example, Chad's womanizing ways. Considering I'm dating Audrey and who our parents are, I have a healthy respect for girls and couldn't play with their feelings as he does. As his friend, I did try to tell him to cut it out, but Audrey said Chad would get what was coming to him if he didn't learn the consequences for himself.
"So, how's break been treating you?" I ask.
"Boredom," Chad bemoans from the other side, "and considering I love school breaks, that says a lot! I can't wait to get back to school!"
"You? School? I'm sorry, am I speaking to the right prince?" I quip and heard him scoff.
"Believe it or not, I like school. I miss the girls!"
I rolled my eyes at that. Of course.
Sometimes, it's hard to believe he's the son of one of the humblest queens he knows, Queen Ella of Cendrillon.
"You do know girls are in abundance in Cendrillon, right?"
"Ah yes, but I am used to them here," Chad states, "At least at AP, I have some variety and any pick."
Audrey would kill him for saying that, and that is probably why he's talking to me.
"So, anyhow, I hear somebody botched their first council meeting," Chad chaffs.
I groaned internally. He must have heard from either the Grand Duke or Countess Le Grande. "Yeah, but I made amends and fixed everything in the end. Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to even rectify the situation if I didn't have help."
"As expected from our future king," Chad says snidely. Alright, time to steer this conversation in another direction.
"You know, now that I think about it, I haven't heard a word of you doing any royal duties," I point out, "and that strikes me curious as to how someone royal and an only child is bored when they have royal duties to attend to themselves."
The silence heard afterward might as well have been lightning striking down by Zeus.
"Low blow, Ben," he glowered (or I assume judging by his tone), "low blow."
"I am as I please," I answered, "now besides your birthday - which you spend MONTHS planning - wouldn't your Mom have you working on side projects? Like Cendrillon's annual Pumpkin Festival. It's, like, your favorite holiday of the year!"
I must've said the wrong thing because the cockiness erupted right back up again. "While I do admit my birthday is the best part of the year, the Pumpkin Festival is months away. I still have time. Besides, thanks to you, I was put in charge of dealing with cheese detail for the mice!"
I'm so glad this entire conversation was on the phone so he couldn't see the grin spreading across my face.
"At least I don't have to worry with the dwarves if it weren't for Audrey."
"Audrey?" he piqued. "What did she do?"
"She gave me some new information."
"New information?"
"Entirely? Open my to more behind the dwarves' light before Princess Snow entered their lives," I answer honestly, "and now I owe her lunch and a bracelet."
Then, he heard boisterous laughter. "Brillant! So, have you picked it out yet?"
I chuckled, although it was rather pitiful. "I have no idea where to start. Now, lunch can be anything. But I'm not exactly good with jewelry."
"Well, how about you just have it ordered? You could even have it made here in Cendrillon! I know a few jewelers who could whip something up! Or if you had something in mind, you could just send me the details and they'll get right on it."
I raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that defeating the purpose of gift-giving if it's coming from anyone else?"
"Ben, in another life, Audrey's my girlfriend and I'm becoming the future king. But alas, you're the better man and get all the glory, so this is the least I can do. Honestly, you're lucky you were considered a prince when you were born rather than an anointed one..."
Well, that wasn't the worse thing he could say.
Wait? Anointed?
"What do you mean by anointed?"
"Well, it's a bit Dark Ages, but considering how Camelot was back then and the slow progress they've made, it doesn't seem so long ago," Chad rambled.
"Chad..." I urge him to get to the point.
"Alright, alright," he hurries, "so, anyway, King Uther grew up in the Olden Ways back when just because you were born in a royal household didn't always mean you were guaranteed the throne. So, he gave Arthur a coming-of-age ceremony - which is simply just fully instantiating him with the responsibilities of princehood. Luckily, you and I never had to go through that because it was installed for us since birth but-"
I stopped right him right there.
This is it.
This is exactly what I've been looking for!
"Chad! You're a genius!"
"Wha-", he stumbled before following his lead. "Oh, of course, I am! A genius, yes!"
I hung up and him abruptly and called Cogsworth, who ran in rather quickly and ordered him to bring the royal historian. If a ceremony like Chad described existed, just buried deep somewhere in archives, or maybe just a small, but helpful footnote could go somewhere.
At Beast Castle's Royal Gardens...
3rd POV
Ben paces anxiously as he steps about the gazebo located in an alcove at the furthest edge of the royal garden. Twisting the signet ring on his left hand, he waits patiently until he heard the soft footfall beneath the grass, signaling the arrival of his anticipated visitor.
He turns around and almost smiles in relief as Audrey makes her graceful appearance from behind a hedge. With her hair in a bun, she wore a light, lace pink dress with a white collar & light blue pants underneath, and wedged boots. Ben didn't know how, but she always managed to look effortlessly beautiful even dressed casually.
"Hello Ben," she smiles as she sauntered to him and looked around the gazebo. "God, it feels like years since we've been here."
"Technically it has been," Ben says.
Which was the truth. Back when they were just kids, the Aurorian Royal Family had been visiting Auradon Capital to meet with Ben's family. Just six years old, both of the royal heirs snuck away from the castle and explored the private gardens which were prohibited to walk on except for the royal gardeners. Being the young, spirited heir they were, the children ventured into forbidden territory. From there, they spent all day until they discovered a stone path covered in grassy overgrowth that led to a hidden alcove with a worn-down gazebo. It was abandoned to the times, the paint chipped and faded, moss spread around the base, and the wood cracked and splintered.
And yet, it was still sturdy and surviving.
Ben and Audrey subtly broke away whenever they could to play and used whatever garden knowledge they had to restore it before Audrey's family left. And soon enough, with time, even Ben slowly forgot about it.
Until now.
Audrey pulled out a note from her pocket. "'Meet me at our special place. Tomorrow afternoon. Have Merryweather poof you at the entrance.' I have to admit, I was lost on "special" until I remembered I remembered this place. I see you've taken care of it."
"Not really, but..." he trails nervously.
Audrey tilts her head. "Ben, are you okay?"
"Yes!"
She gives him a look.
Ben sighs. "Okay...no, I'm not. Just let me explain and then you can talk at the end."
Confused, Audrey walks into the gazebo and sits on the bench.
Ben sits across from her and continues, "So, I know I've said this a thousand times already, but I can't thank you enough for your help with the council. If you hadn't given me the knowledge to look deeper into the situation, I wouldn't know how to handle the dwarves. So, for that..."
Ben pulled out a picnic basket from under the bench and gave it to her. He smiled at her wide-eyed expression as she eagerly opened it up and a sweet, fruity smell wafted from the basket and into the air. Audrey reached in and pulled out a small tart that smelled like apple pie and cut shaped like a rose.
"I know I said I'd owe you lunch, but I figure dessert specially made with your motif felt better," he states appreciatively. "Anyways, after you gave me the book information, I immediately went to my family library to see if maybe we had a copy. Imagine my surprise when it turned out we didn't. Seemed fair, mom's library just can't "poof" a book whenever it comes out, so I had someone go out and try to find it, and someone came back with the book and it turns out it was rare. Like ultra-rare, as in not first and second editions but only one entire set exists! And in addition to that, the book was found on auction and cost a lot of money. And by a lot, I mean a lot."
Audrey's eyes widened as she took a bite of a tart.
"So, after that, I read the book for myself and started looking for other books on other magical creatures. After sending emails, phone calls, and video messages, getting in contact with the ruling like Queen Elsa and King Eric to help rectify these matters opened my eyes. And it made me think: Is there all there is? I'm not underestimating the ability to run a country, much less a region, but there has to be more to be done, right? There has to be more I can do to improve the quality of life for everyone. And then it hit me: What right do I have to be a prince? I grew up in a golden cradle, eating off a silver spoon with no worries or responsibilities. Servants take care of me, I could go anywhere in the country, and most of all, I have royal doctors on call whenever I get so much of a sniffle! I live - we live - an entitled life and to be fair, we wouldn't be here if our parents didn't get their fairytale endings. And that's when I realized...who suffers while we thrive?"
Ben gazed into her eyes as he pointed in the direction of the southwest, which past Beast Castle, the capital, and right across from Auradon Bay leads to...
"The Isle of the Lost," Ben declares, "the prison island, made from questionable judgment, that holds the worst villains possible. I don't doubt that those there deserve to do time, but then I realized we never accounted for the children born there. They may be younger, older, and might even be the same age as us, but they've been denied what we have as royals, and even commoners, are entitled to! How do they live their day-to-day lives? Where do they sleep? What are they like? Their living conditions? Who are we to let that continue? Who am I to let others suffer for the mistakes of their parents? Even though my dad achieved his human form with my mom's help, the latent effects of the curse still linger in his blood, and in my blood as well! But that doesn't negate the fact his refusal to do a good deed landed him as a Beast in the first place! And the more I thought about it, what is life on the Isle like? Whatever they get is from barges and 'donations' and even that doesn't meet the requirements. Look at what I discovered from the registry of the Auradon Capitol Barge Company (ACBC)."
Ben pulled out a surprisingly large file and handed it to Audrey to look through. Taking a bite from another tart, she opened it and was surprised by the various notes and what looked to be an inventory list.
At first, it started with furniture, TVs, electronics, clothes, and the works that one finds in a thrift store. But as the list went down, items listed on record didn't make sense. Like food and miscellaneous items (which wouldn't be an issue in itself if it wasn't Ben's handwriting citing the various health violations). Soon enough, it dawned on her slowly, that most of the items wouldn't be the same by the time they made it to the isle, especially the food, and the lack of organization deduce there wasn't ANY real organization and it was all heaped together with no regard for the state or shape they were in before they were shipped off. Just bundled up together and thrown away.
Like trash.
Ben watched Audrey's expressions change as she went through everything he compiled into the file (and a bit guilty for feeding her beforehand). He made the same expressions when he went to the registry himself - in disguise of course. Masquerading as a student from Auradon Public School for a report on the sorting and processing of the barge system for a class paper. As if watching the hazardous - bordering careless - the process wasn't enough for him before sneaking away to the main office. Granted, it would have been easier if he had gone as "Prince Ben", but that was it. If he had, he was sure the documents he'd gotten would have been doctored and he wouldn't have known otherwise.
Audrey had managed to keep herself from regurgitating her desserts and glaring at her boyfriend.
"I hope you did not feed me and then show me this just to prove a point," she utters sharply. Ben turns his head innocently.
"Not initially my intention, but now I see I didn't plan accordingly," he responds.
Audrey shelves her irritation away for another time. There were more important, pressing matters ahead.
"So what are you going to do about it?" she asks. "I can get my dad to look into our regional barge company and see if he-"
"NO!" Ben yelled, before calming down and explaining. "Sorry, just. Hold on for a minute. Think about it: You go to your dad and he goes to the registry, and let's say he gets a list, but it is completely different from my findings. Knowing that you wouldn't lead him astray, he launches an investigation. Soon, there's a focus on the two sets of lists and because this caught my dad's attention, he launches an investigation on the ACBA. And say the capital gets the accused to punishment, what you need to reactions from the citizens. How would they react? And once they realize this was related to the isle...What if they agree with the reveal? What if they don't care? After all, they're villains. Why shouldn't they get scraps?!"
Audrey started connecting the dots as Ben resumes, "If we come forward with this, regardless of how we got it, the citizens might not see a reason to care. And if they don't care, what does that say about children stuck on the Isle? No, we need something more concrete to hit home and get people to open their eyes."
She could see where this was going. It wasn't even a secret that children were born and grew up on that island nor was the fact nobody did anything about it.
We've been doing this for 20 years since the union, Audrey frets, what if they aren't even worth sav-
Right before she could even finish that thought, a dark chill washes over Audrey, causing her body to jerk and spasm as she took a hard fall to the floor, sending the papers flying everywhere in the process.
"AUDREY!" Ben calls out, gathering her in his arms as she continued trembling. Her eyes looked paced as her pupils dilated, and it was as if her skin turned cold.
"Audrey! Audrey! Audie, you're okay. You're okay. I'm right here. I'm not leaving your side," he repeats as he cradles her body back and forth, placing her head gently on his chest to hear his heartbeat.
It was happening again. Audrey was having a panic attack. Was this his fault? Was showing her his finding too much for her?
Meanwhile, Audrey felt cut off from all her senses like before. This...this sudden coldness just hit her out of nowhere! She felt like she couldn't breathe, almost suffocating and she couldn't feel anything. But on the other hand, this was better than the last one. She could hear Ben's voice, statically, but it gave her something to focus on.
In what felt like hours, but only lasted a couple of minutes, in reality, Ben sighs in relief by the time Audrey came back to him. She was disoriented, to say the least, but alert after he gave her a few more minutes of breathing room. He grabbed one of the few remaining tarts from the picnic basket and held it in front of her, which she happily gorged in.
"Are you alright?" Ben asks, concerned, "this is the second time this has happened to you. I don't think I'll be ready for the third time. Twice is already bad enough as a coincidence!"
Swallowing the last of the tart, she turns to him though not making direct eye content.
"I'll be fine," she says, though the churning in her stomach says differently, Ben scooped her up in his arms and places her back on the bench while he sat in front of her on one knee.
Ben didn't believe that for a second, but if he presses on, she'll pull away from him.
"Audrey, the entire reason I brought you here is that I've made a couple of decisions the past few days," he says.
"Yeah?"
He nods. "Yeah. I'm taking your advice. I won't become king...for now."
Audrey's eyes brightened at his newfound decision and her lips turn into a beaming grin. He couldn't even begin to tell if that was sunlight reflecting off her eyes adding to her radiant expression or pure joy. He found he didn't want an answer.
"That's great!" she cries, engulfing him in a hug before pulling back, letting her arms stay wrapped around his shoulders, "I can't imagine your dad took it well. How did you do it?"
"Well, I haven't told him yet," he answers, "but I am compiling up a case that might turn things around. Surprisingly, I have Chad to thank for that."
Audrey raised an eyebrow. "Chad?"
Ben matches her expression with a grin. "I know. He can be a great fuel for inspiration when he wants to. I'll explain everything later."
She nods in agreement. "Okay, so what's your second decision?"
Now, Ben had a bright shine to his eyes that she couldn't help but adore. "The people will only be able to care about the Isle if they saw a reason to. One that tugs on their heartstrings. And what better way than children! So, I decided that for my first decree...I'll bring children of the Isle over to Auradon."
The next day...
Beast Castle...
Ben's bedroom...
"Sleeve...Head...Ah-ha!" Taylor, the royal tailor instructed with his measuring tape in hand as he fitted Ben, standing on a podium, for his coronation attire...or at least to make it appear so.
"How is it possible that you're going to be crowned king in 6 months month? You're just a baby!" King Adam doomed jovially, his voice resonating throughout Ben's bedroom as he walked in with Belle in his arms.
"He's turning 16, dear," she reminds him before turning to remove his clothes that were laying about on his foosball table to place them on the bed.
"Hey, Pops."
"16? That's far too young to be crowned king. I didn't make a good decision until I was at least 42," his father jests.
Well, that explains the creation of the Isle, Ben remarks inwardly.
Belle turned to him and scoffed. "Uh, you decided to marry me at 28."
"Ah, it was either you or a teapot."
Ben couldn't help but laugh at that, whether at the joke or his mom's expression.
"Kidding," Adam placates.
"Mom, Dad..." he starts off the platform.
"Ah! Nn-nnh!" Taylor warns as he works on his pants leg.
Giving the man a silent apology before starting again, "Mom, Dad, I've chosen my first official proclamation. But first, I have something to give you."
Asking Taylor to allow him off the podium, Ben steps off and gives his father paperwork he finally finished with the help of the royal historian.
Ben watched apprehensively as the happy mood his father was in slowly deteriorated like the previous dinner before, but now he had more than enough effort to stand in his decision or two decisions.
"WHAT!?"
Taylor and a few servants jumped at the blare of his voice.
"What is this!?" King Adam demands.
Ben sighs. "Easy, this is actual documentation of a coming-of-age ceremony I want to do in place of becoming king instead."
"But-ah-you-ah-WHAT!" his father stutters, "didn't we put an end to these talks!?"
"Yeah, and I was terrified to be in the same room with you, or hallway for that matter, for days!" Ben shouts. He hated when his father was more Beast than man, but if he wants to get anything done, he needs to face him on this.
The look of his defiance surprises his parents, and Ben sees a hint of guilt in their eyes.
"Look, you just joked about 16 being too young to be king," he continues, "and that's what I need you to see! I know you trust me, why else did you give me the assignment of managing that council meeting, and even when I epically failed, gave me a chance to rectify it!? Gods, you were even praising me not too long ago for not just rectifying things but getting a new trade deal out of the Bergmanns'! But that was just luck, studying, and quick thinking on my part. If I was king now, I'd fail more than I succeed! I just know it. But I also know that I'm a prince and that I have royal duties and I want to do them. On my terms."
Ben points to those documents. "Camelot. It may be behind in times, but it holds historical significance. Prince Arthur may have pulled the sword from the stone, but did anyone ever argue why an orphan? Well, remember that scandal when it turned out Arthur was King Uther's illegitimate child he never knew of? Yeah, that made the papers, but regardless, he could have had many children, and just one, ONE, was eligible for the throne, but before that, he had to be a prince. A royal. And to be a royal, he had to be instated as one, per a Coming of Age ceremony naming him Prince Arthur of Camelot. And even with Uther, he went through one himself. Camelot is a relic of the past and I would have never brought this up if there wasn't anything backing it."
The indications behind Ben's reasons weren't unfounded. It was shortly after the unification of Auradon that word spread of King Arthur's heritage spread, resulting in him and Merlin trying to track down his family if he had any. The son of a scullery maid who was put out for getting pregnant out of wedlock. Well, he conquered Camelot, not inherited it. So not everyone had something good to say about the past king.
Nevertheless, the ceremony existed before their government did and thus has to be respected. And Ben calling it out is ingenious.
If he wasn't so angry right now, King Adam would be proud. But alas, he's being watched and has no reason to disagree.
"Alright, we'll just tell everyone from the monarchs to the diplomats and ambassadors and nobility that the coronation is off and being changed into a ceremony," his father concedes. "Is this what you wish?"
Ben had to hold in a mix of relief and manic laughter that he won this round over his father. He wants to do a happy dance, or spring out to do a jig! But that battle wasn't over yet.
"Yes, it's what I want to do," Ben says politely, "but it's only one half. The next is my first proclamation, or if you would, my first official act as Prince of Auradon. And I've decided...I've decided that the children on the Isle of the Lost be given a chance to live here in Auradon."
The Royal King and Queen of Auradon's jaws dropped. They hadn't expected this. Ben continues, "Every time I look out to the island, I feel like they've been abandoned."
king Adam steps forward. "The children of our sworn enemies, living among us?"
"We start out with a few at first," Ben describes and sees his mom nod in agreement, "only the ones who need our help the most. I've already chosen them."
"Have you?" his father questions. He was already running through his head the number of consequences that can go wrong and how he was going to clean it up. If it was Auradon alone, this could be seen as charity work, manageable enough. But the children of villains, well, the press was going to have a field day!
"I gave you a second chance," Belle countered, before turning to Ben, "Who are their parents?"
"Cruella De Vil... Jafar... Evil Queen," Ben trails before dropping the bomb, "... and Maleficent."
Behind him, he heard Taylor gasp in horror at the mere mention of the dark fairy.
"Maleficent!" his father shouts in outrage. "She's one of the worst villains in the land!"
"Dad, just hear me out here!" Ben pleads.
"I won't hear of it!" King Adam interrupts.
Taylor and the royal servants quickly left out of the room at the booming of the king's voice, not that Ben blamed them. As he told Audrey before, the curse hasn't quite left his family yet.
"They are guilty of unspeakable crimes," King Adam argues. "Not to mention Maleficent! Did you happen to forget just which royal family she tried to destroy? Of the princess, your girlfriend, who wouldn't even exist if not for her father and the Fairy Godmothers! First the coronation, now this?"
"Did anyone put you up to this?!" Belle inquires. Her son looks at her with wide eyes.
"What?" Ben asks incredulously. "No! I came up with this myself!"
"Well does Audrey know? About any of this?" King Adam demands.
And for the first time, Ben keeps his mouth shut and looks away. King Adam threw his head back in exasperation.
"Of course not!" he exclaims. "Otherwise, she would have talked you out of this foolish plan, to begin with!"
Something about that line ticked Ben off and he found himself growling - growling! - at his father.
"Leave Audrey out of this!" he snarls, baring his teeth and causing his parents to jump out of their skin.
Watching the brief panic in their eyes and the ferocity in his voice surprised the prince, but it also made him calm down. While he doesn't blame her, maybe it was Audrey's panic attacks that got him on the defensive.
Taking a deep breath, he sorted out his thoughts. "Mom, Dad, look I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. But for the first time, I know what I'm doing in the grander scheme of things."
Ben had to turn around to gather his thoughts before facing them again. "Audrey knows. Okay. She knows I found the loophole to put off the coronation. And she's aware of my idea for the children of the Isle, just not who I'm planning to bring here. This has nothing to do with diplomacy and our alliance with Auroria! This is me thinking it's a good idea to get the children who should have never had to grow up in those conditions in the first place! For god's sake, they depend on trash, old food, and broken items to survive and that's just what I got from the inventory list and processing from the barge company!
Dad, their children are innocent. Don't you think they deserve a shot at a normal life?"
The determination in Ben's eyes shone like the fires of injustice built behind them. Take away the corruption that allowed such things to happen, his father at least had to be above that! If not that, having his mom here had to get him to side with his sense of humanity and that's where Ben dropped the last words that could conclude his case.
"Dad," Ben states, looking his father in the eyes, "you were turned into a Beast because you refused to do a good deed. Are you saying you want to prove that Enchantress right, that you deserved that fate? Those kids don't have fairy godmothers or genies to grant them wishes. Help me be that to them and prove you are better than what that Enchantress deemed you are and who Mom and I know you can be."
That seemed to be the closing argument that won his father over. After moments of hesitating, King Adam sighed in defeat, "I suppose their children are innocent."
His father turned away from him and his mother walked up to him to straighten out his suit.
"Well, well done," Belle compliments before walking to the room with his father.
It was only once they were out the door that Ben could breathe with nervous ease. The battle was won, but not the war. Twisting the ring on his finger once more, he walks up to the window that spans out into the distance, giving him the perfect view of the Isle of the Lost.
Two weeks later...
Auradon Prep...
Audrey's POV
Being back at Auradon Prep is invigorating after a long break. Don't get me wrong, I love being in Auroria, but then being at home means not seeing your friends that are scattered across the continent and regions.
I missed socializing and teatime with the other princesses, talking with Chad and Lonnie, and most of all, my Royal Wolves, the cheerleading squad of the Auradon Fighting Knights.
Uh, do not get me started on how much I had to whip them into shape! The girls are lucky I'm not a drill sergeant and don't make them keep in shape when we do have breaks, making it completely their choice! With the exception of the Bergmann cousins who had actual work at home now, thanks to Ben, the rest have no excuse to get completely lazy! Whipping them back up to shape for the pep rally against the Sherwood Falcons was almost liberating once I saw the improvements!
But that's not the only thing I have to complain about. Where do I start? Oh yes, Chad and his womanizing ways have already started. It was a surprise that he had useful information regarding an old tradition that helped Ben find a way out of his coronation, but then I called Chad up and while I see him as a good friend (and maybe in a distant next life, something more), his behavior is the least to be desired. At best, he's perfectly described as an airhead player and the typical jock where sports is his best subject. I didn't doubt the prince of Cendrillon had brains, but he doesn't use them. Sometimes it's hard to believe he's Queen Ella's son!
Secondly, Ben has been distant lately. He texted me two weeks ago in high spirits that he managed to get his father to agree to BOTH the ceremony and bringing the villain kids to Auradon, but now I can't help but feel he's keeping his distance. Maybe it has something to do with my reaction...
Flashback...
"...I'll bring children of the Isle over to Auradon."
I didn't realize my expression had fallen and my arms had fallen from his shoulders until a frown on Ben's eyes told me otherwise.
"Audrey?"
"I-I'm sorry, what?" I asked incredulously.
Bring the children from the Isle? Villains' kids? Here? Without realizing it, I began doing a mental list in my head over all the many ways this could go wrong.
"I admit, this might be a harder bit to sell than the ceremony-"
"You think!?" I interrupt, jumping from my spot- and nearly tumbling down from faint dizziness. I guess I haven't fully recovered yet.
"I thought you'd be on board with this!" Ben argues, hurt in his eyes.
"Yeah, I would if it wasn't villains' kids!" I countered back. "Ben, it's been over 20 YEARS! Twenty years since your father had them banished and they were born there!"
I quickly knelt and gathered the papers that lay around. "Look at this!" I waved at him, "I was shown obvious corruption and health violations! I was thinking you wanted to do this privately, like have care packages made and placed into the barges at the last minute or something! Maybe visit yourself with at least 20 personal guards following you around! But not this!"
"Audrey, you are the first and only one I have ever shown this to," he shouts, "and it was because of you that I even have the courage to defy my father and now, you want to-to chicken out on me!?"
I point at him. "You know that's not what this is about!"
"Really?" he scoffs. "Then enlighten me! I'm on a verge of a breakthrough, something bigger than us, and suddenly you're gonna go against me on this!"
"Ben, no, I'm not saying that," I tried to placate. "I just feel like this isn't a good idea!"
"Why?" he presses, walking towards me, "because it goes against the status quo? Because it disturbs the peace? Maybe because it's not what someone would expect from a royal of Auradon!?"
"Maybe because I'm scared, Ben!" I scream, causing an eerie silence around us, and birds, if the distant flapping was anything to suggest, went flying. I felt my lungs breathing heavily and the tendrils of that dark chill that overtook me threatening to come over me again.
"What?"
I looked at him again and look down, not realizing I'm trembling again and feeling like I'm on the verge of another attack, but fought it off as long as I can.
"This is scary, okay!? This isn't trying a new gameplay for a tourney game, or a new stunt for cheer, or starting a club or something at school!" I reasoned though it felt more like pleading, "These kids grew up around criminals. Do you think they changed their tune after being imprisoned for so long? Look at how Jafar borderline sexually harrassed Sultana Jasmine when he took over Agrabah, or Gothel and Queen Repunzel, or...or... Claude Frollo and Quasimodo! They were cruel, abusive, and used them! And let's not forget those three died and were resurrected, to be put on that island, to begin with! You wanna believe they won't go crazy with the sudden change of environment after being raised by people like that!?"
I felt myself beginning to hyperventilate and turn from him. I didn't want to look fragile and weak before him. Princesses don't cower. I began starting to do breathing techniques when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, and that calmness washed all over me and I couldn't help but fall into his embrace.
"Do you really think you can help someone who might be too far gone after living that way?"
I felt Ben rest his chin above my head and take a deep breath.
"Do we know unless we try?" he asks as he pulled away to look at me. "I get it. Change is scary, especially if you don't know what it'll bring. But I have to take that chance. If it wasn't fair that nobody helped them before, why should it be fair not to do so now? If anything, better late than never. And I'll make sure those who need help the most get it."
Ben has a point. I do charity work for orphans and I even went as far as to create a cheer team with a diverse group, not just for a show of school pride, but to know what goes on in their regions.
Ben has a terrible talent for being convincing when he wants something.
"Alright," I admit, "it does sound like a good idea. On paper. But just promise me you'll start small and don't do anything too extravagant. And pick those who do need to come here. Somehow, I feel like that isn't a short list. Oh, and be careful! You may not be becoming king, but that doesn't mean you get to let your guard down!"
Ben chuckles and gave me a small smile. "That's fair enough for me. And I promise I'll take your advice into account. Just trust me."
Flashback ends...
I only gave Ben the best advice I could give at the time. And it wasn't like I didn't tell him to practice caution. For all I know, he'll pick a killer or a thief! The options running through my head do not look good!
"Audrey!"
I turned around and see Lonnie running towards me with a smile. "Hey, Lonnie, are we heading to the same place?"
"You mean to hear Ben's big announcement?" she asks cheekily. "I'm actually looking forward to seeing him. I mean it's been two weeks since the break and I can't help but think I hardly saw him!"
Yeah, it's been like that ever since the continent got word of the change in ceremonies regarding Ben's coronation! My parents got a letter with the royal seal flown in via pigeon carrier (why, when we live in the era of emails and phone calls, but I see the point) announcing the change. Daddy was surprised and Mom was pleased, but that didn't surprise me. They ascended the throne when they were older and it was warranted.
However, for all those while planning? Not so much! Changing such a long-planned event required a lot of work, notices, and a lot of personal apology letters for those who made the plans ahead of schedule. No wonder Ben was hardly seen around, he was tasked to help cover the initial consequences of changing events.
"Well, maybe everything will get cleared up. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes with the next upload of 'School of Secrets'," she whispered in my ear, and I groan.
And last but not least, there's been this secret camera feed going through school, called "School of Secrets". So far, there have been two "episodes", but it's already trending (not to mention having everybody looking overhead to find the hidden camera watching them). Honestly, I already have reasons to suspect who's behind it, which I'm hoping isn't true because she's one of the sweetest people I know and my friend, but I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't already recognize her outfits. However, maybe I could use this to help gauge what people think once Ben announces his decree.
"And if anybody doesn't get to the amphitheater on time, the announcement will still be blared over the speakers throughout the school," I remind her. I was already over it from the minute it started, but if she was who I truly suspected, I gotta fake it for now.
We arrived ahead of time, getting the best seats in the amphitheater as students kept pouring in. The school's colors reflected the room from the yellow-goldish walls to the 500 navy blue seats. Before that was a huge stage used for performances, announcements, ceremonies, and seminars. On my right, Chad came running in and sat next to us...with a bag of popcorn.
"Let me guess," Lonnie asks rhetorically, "you just came from the cafeteria?"
"Whatever Ben has to say better be important!" he mutters as he scooped a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "He suddenly decides to not be king and causes every royal and nobility in attendance to change their plans!"
I wanted to tell him it was his own fault for giving him the idea in the first place, but I'm not about to bark up that tree!
Soon enough the whole place was packed and like magic (more like perfect timing), Ben strutted across the stage and up to the podium wearing a new vest suit with a grey shirt underneath.
He looked handsome, as always.
"So," Ben spoke into the microphone, "as you know, years ago, my father, King Adam, banished all the villains from the land of Auradon to the Isle of the Lost-"
Almost instantly, the entire room burst into cheers, and somehow, I begin to understand why he said Auradon wouldn't care unless he made them care.
"Hold on, hold on," he soothes the crowd before continuing. "Now I've come to realize that the descendants of these villains who, up until now, lived in the shadows of their parents' wrongdoings deserve a chance to determine a path of their own-"
"Whoo, Prince Ben!" somebody cheers and claps from the audience, "wait what?"
"What'd he talking about?" another guy whispers from somewhere close by.
"Ugh, could they just shut up!" Lonnie complained.
"Shhhh!"
"Don't 'shush' me, Chad!"
"-which is why," Ben continues, "as my first royal decree, I decided to invite four students from the Isle of the Lost to Auradon Prep this year."
And like that, the theatre went stark silent. Out of nowhere, the microphone booms, echoing through the entire place. I could feel the apprehensiveness in both the way Ben started twisting his signet ring to the atmosphere of the room. This won't end well.
"Now I'm sure you have questions-" he started, but one by one, vocal objections spring from the crowd.
"Dozens," various students shout as the entire auditorium bursts into shouts and endless waves of chatter, but I kept my eyes on Ben, who almost looked lost as his voice was taken over by the hundreds of students asking questions and demanding answers about his decree. It was as if he was no longer in control.
Strange enough, I have a funny feeling the narrator behind "School of Secrets" is gonna be busy with new source material for a while.
A/N In case anyone is wondering, I combined Merlin BBC with The Sword in the Stone (1963) for this as well as renamed a few things around Auradon.
